1887 Machzor for Rosh Hashanah, New Year’s Festival w/ German Translation

Key Details: • Title: “Machzor ליום ראש השנה” (“Machzor for Rosh Hashanah”) • Parallel German Title: Gebete für das Neujahrsfest mit deutscher Uebersetzung (“Prayers for the New Year’s Festival with German translation”) • Editor/Translator: W. Heidenheim — Wolf Heidenheim (1757–1832), a towering Jewish scholar and grammarian from Rödelheim, Germany, who published the most influential editions of the Machzor and Siddur in the 19th century. His works became the standard for Ashkenazi prayer books. • Language: Hebrew and German (parallel text, German in Gothic script). • Publisher: Rödelheim, Druck u. Verlag von J. Lehrberger & Comp. • Date: 1887 (late 19th century, still under the wave of Heidenheim’s editions). • Provenance: Owner inscription (Aaron de Vries, possibly Dutch Jewish descent), plus a later German bookseller’s stamp “Hermann de Vries, Bochum.” Historical Context: Heidenheim’s Rödelheim Machzorim are the foundation of modern Ashkenazi liturgy. His editions were scholarly, precise, and widely distributed across Europe. By the 1880s, Lehrberger & Co. (successor printers in Rödelheim) were still issuing his versions. These prayer books survived pogroms, migrations, and often the Holocaust — making them culturally and emotionally weighty. Collectibility: • Age: 1887 makes this a 138-year-old liturgical book. • Condition: The binding is worn, frayed at the spine, but still intact. Pages look clean and readable, which is crucial for collectors. • Rarity: Rödelheim Machzorim are collectible, especially pre-WWI editions. Holocaust survivors often carried these into exile, adding provenance value. Binding & Covers: • Original embossed boards with gilt decorations still visible (though faded). • Corners bumped and fraying, especially at the spine ends. • Spine gilt partially legible but shows wear and rubbing. • Some separation beginning at the hinges, but still intact. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for any questions you may have or for more pics or info. Thanks.