SCHLOMO BEN JITZCHAQ HA-LEVI. Dialogus qui vocatur Scrutinium Scripturarum...secunda pars tractatus de scrutinio scripturarum et est didascolica… Hoc opus impressit rerum scrutinia Schallus Johannes doctor artis Apollinee anno domini 1475.
Mantova, Johannes Schallus Germanus, 1475.Folio, mm. 274x185; Full vellumbinding. Leaves 250 not numbered (leaf 150 and 250 are blank); Gothic type, 39lines. Specimen printed on strong paper, very good condition, very slightwormholes on margins, slight sign of wear and very slight sign of humidity,fine copy.

Very rare incunabulum one of the first books printed in Mantua and thefirst edition of the Schall.Specimen of the firstedition not containing the Epistle to Rabbi Isaac which was added later (seeOates, 2586). Schlomo ben Jitzchaq ha-Levi, was born in an eminent family ofJewish merchants and grew up in the Jewish faith until he became a rabbi in hishometown. Between 1390 and 1391 he, his brothers, sisters and others belongingto the family converted to Catholicism and with the conversion he was baptizedwith the name of Pablo García de Santa María (Paul of Santa María). Afterstudying theology in Paris, he was ordained a priest there and went to theAvignon court of the antipope Benedict XIII. In 1401 Henry III of Castileproposed him as bishop of Cartagena and belonged to the circle of councilorswho led the regency in the name of the minor John II of Castile and León and in1407 he was appointed Chancellor of Castile by Regent Ferdinando I of Aragon.