The Hidden Treasure of Athias

In 1761 the Amsterdam Jewish printers, typefounders and booksellers Joseph, Jacob and Abraham Proops bought a collection of Hebrew and Yiddish punches and moulds, which had been used earlier by the famous printers Joseph, Immanuel and Abraham Athias. They announced their acquisition proudly in their almanacs and in a Spanish Bible. A translation of the notification is given here in an appendix. In 1917, t he Proops typefoundry, including the so-called Athias Cabinet, was publicly sold and obtained by the Typefoundry Amsterdam, formerly known as N. Tetterode. The contents of the cabinet was carefully studied and even used. In 2001, at the occasion of 150 years Tetterode, the Athias Cabinet has been offered to the Amsterdam University in permanent loan and included in the Reading Room of the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana for scientific research.