"Jewish Eyeglasses" – Antisemitic Composition by Elias Roblik, Theologian – 1741-1743 – Engravings

"Jewish Eyeglasses" – Antisemitic Composition by Elias Roblik, Theologian – 1741-1743 – Engravings
Jüdische Augen-Gläser [Jewish Eyeglasses], by Elias Liborius Roblik. Brünn / Znojmo / König-Gratz: Wenzl Johann Tibelli / Anton Johann Preyß / Maria Barabra Swobodin, 1741-1743. German. Two parts in one volume.
Elias Liborius Roblik (1689-1765) was a German priest, theologian and Hebraist who forsook the priesthood to conduct a door-to-door conversion of Jews, believing that exposing them to Christian truth and grace will lead to their change of heart. His book has two parts: the first introduces Christian commentary on the Bible and reasoning against the Talmud; the second ("The other part of Jewish eyeglasses") contains sections from Johann Andreas Eisenmenger's book "Judaism Unveiled" (this book was published for the first time in 1700 and its printing was banned).
Illustrated with five engravings. The engraved title page depicts a Jew looking at a pair of scales on which two books are being weighed – the Talmud and the Bible. Although the scales are tipped towards the Bible, the Jew's eyeglasses distort his vision and he is pointing at the Talmud. At the end of the introduction is an engraving with a large illustration of eyeglasses ("Jewish Eyeglasses"), serving as an invitation to look through them and read the book.
Integrated into some of the engravings are German biblical verses, and in one of them – the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew characters. All the engravings are signed in the margin: A.G. Mansfelt Callco-graphus Sculpsit-Pragae (or an abbreviation of this name).
Part I: [6] leaves, 513 [i.e. 517] pp. + [4] plates; Part II: [3] leaves, 307 pp, [1] leaf, 427, [1] pp. + [1] plate. 32 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor wormholes to gutters of some leaves (not affecting text). A partly restored tear to one of the leaves at the beginning of the volume. Elegant leather binding with gilt impressions on the spine, worn and slightly scuffed, with tears and missing pieces to spine.