b'Lot 158 Lot 159158 (MEXICO). Castillo, Martin Del. Arte Hebraispano. Dikduk Lashon Hakodesh Belshon Sepharadith. Grammatica de la Lengua Santa.FIRST EDITION.Text in Hebrew and Spanish. Hebrew words pointed, and followed by Spanish transliterations. Woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. pp. (24), 336. Ex-library, lower blank margin of title frayed, worn in places. Contemporary limp vellum, stained. 8vo. [Palau 481466.] Lyons, Florian Anisson, 1676. $1200 - $1800FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST HEBREW GRAMMAR PRINTED FOR THE NEW WORLD. No doubt a Marrano, Martin del Castillo was born in Burgos and studied Hebrew under the converso Rabbi Moyses (D. Francisco del Hoyo) while guardian of the Franciscan convent in Mexico City.Although approved in 1656, the work was not printed until twenty years later due to the lack of printing facilities in Mexico that could accommodate a work with Hebrew type; thus Castillo had the book produced in Europe. The author remarks, The distance between Mexico in the New World, and Lyons in the Old World, should excuse any writer from blame in that several misprints have occurred.The book is so rare that the authors nameis given in Kayserlings bibliography as Martyr del Castillo with a remark that it is the pseudonym of a Spanish Jew. Neither he nor Steinschneider gave the title of the book correctly. See Alexander Marx, (ed. M. Schmelzer), Bibliographical Studies and Notes on Rare Books and Manuscripts in the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. (1977) p. 171.MEXICO : SEE ALSO LOTS 55, 126, 127159 (MISHNAH). Pirkei Avoth [Ethics of the Fathers].FIRST EDITION.With commentary byMOSES MAIMONIDES(Rambam). ff. 16 (of 47) containing ff. 9-24 only. Stained, each leaf laid to size. Modern boards. 8vo. [Vinograd, Soncino 2; Goff Heb-83; Offenberg 93; S.J. Weiss, Pirkei Avot no. 1.] Soncino, Joshua Solomon ben Israel Nathan Soncino,-1484. $3000 - $5000THE FIRST PRINTED EDITION OF THE ETHICS OF THE FATHERS.79'