[The following was posted to the Biblical Hebrew list and I am forwarding it
as potentially helpful information regarding this issue, which was raised
here. Not sure whether I should post the name/source?]
I have not at hand now facsimiles of the L and Aleppo manuscripts, but I am
nearly sure that the editors of the BHS just copied a distinction that
already is in the manuscript.
I have checked the facsimiles of the following manuscripts and editions
that I have at hand and all of them differentiate clearly betwen holam +
vav mater lectionis and vav consonant + holam:
Gottweig (Austria), Stiftsbibliothek, ms. 10 and 11 (883), XIV or
XV century (Pentateuch + Prophtets, square Ashkenazic script)
Second Rabbinic Bible (Venice 1524-1525), by Jacob ben Hayyim.
Biblia Polyglotta Complutensis (Alcal� de Henares, 1514-1517)
