This 200 year-old book is an example of Hebrew printing in London by a non-Jewish publisher and printer. It was edited and published by George Offor, a writer, book dealer and collector and scholar of Hebrew and other languages. George Offor was born in 1787, the Baptist son of a book dealer, also called George Offor. He is usually known for his editions of Christian works, particularly the works of John Bunyan. He amassed a large book collection and died in 1864. His collection was catalogued by Sotheby’s and auctioned in 1865. Two days after the auction almost the entire collection was destroyed in a fire.
He had published a book, Introduction to Reading the Hebrew Language in 1814, and this book followed in 1820.
My copy has an interesting Inscription: With Mrs. M. L. Marks Kindest Regards to Rev. L L…….., Swansea Jan 11/19. (Can you make out the name of the Reverend – who was he?)
Here is the preface:
And here is the text:
Jewish Miscellanies 