HAUTE ÉPOQUE ET CURIOSITÉS

Lot 1 - Chased, gilded and nielloed silver cross with flared arms. Edges outlined with a guilloche frieze, small X-shaped cross in the center, repetitive characters on the arms. Constantinople ? 6th/17th century 3.5 x 3.5 cm (oxidation and slight damage) The typology of this cross with splayed arms is reminiscent of the 5th / 8th century, while the silver niello technique is reminiscent of Constantinople goldsmiths of the early 7th century. The same small cross with bifid ends can be found at the center of some silver dishes in the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens (inv. BXM 893 and 896, fig.).

Estim. 700 - 900 EUR

Lot 2 - Capital in limestone, carved on all sides. Flared basket decorated with two rows of large acanthus leaves, surmounted by stems ending in crooks at the four corners; the dice of the abacus are decorated on each side with various motifs, an ox head, a feline head and rosettes in high relief. Orléanais, 11th century H. 39.5 cm - W. 44 cm - D. 44.8 cm (some visible damage and missing parts) This capital is an early example of Romanesque art; it can be compared with another capital discovered in 1941 in Orléans in the ruins of Saint-Paul church following the events of 1940, belonging to the previous 11th-century church. Now housed in the city's Musée des Beaux-Arts, it features a similar arrangement of acanthus leaves, with dice similarly adorned with heads and rosettes in high relief (inv. 168, fig.).

Estim. 6 000 - 8 000 EUR

Lot 3 - Gilded bronze buckle plate with bas-relief decoration of a griffin in profile raising its right front paw; four rivets on the reverse. 12th/13th century L. 4.7 cm (slightly missing and deformed) The style of this griffin on this attractive belt or harness element can be compared to those embroidered on the Clare Chasuble in the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. 673-1864, fig.). Embroidered in England in 1272-1294, they are considered to belong to an earlier style inherited from the Romanesque period.

Estim. 600 - 800 EUR

Lot 4 - Limestone modillion sculpted in high relief depicting the head of a bearded man. Prominent eyes with hemmed eyelids, strong nose, half-open mouth framed by drooping moustaches, beard with double row of locks, thick stylized hair cut into quarters. England, circa 1200 H. 21 cm - W. 16 cm - D. 31 cm Provenance : - English private collection - Sarthe private collection

Estim. 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 5 - Limestone modillion carved in high relief with the head of a grimacing woman. Prominent eyes with deep-set pupils and heavy eyelids, wide open mouth sticking out her tongue and revealing her teeth, thick locks of hair with a median parting. Angoumois, 12th century H. 25.5 cm - W. 19 cm - D. 40 cm (minor accidents) A number of churches in the Charente region also feature this type of modillion with a figure sticking out its tongue, including Saint-Michel d'Entraygues, Vindelle and Claix.

Estim. 1 300 - 1 500 EUR

Lot 6 - Christ in gilded bronze, hollow cast. Head encircled by a crown of flowers, slightly tilted forward; face with fine features; locks of hair resting on the shoulders; torso with protruding abdomen; complexly pleated perizonium with median and lateral falls. Mid 12th century H. 12.8 cm Marble base bearing an old collector's label (noticeable missing parts, worn gilding) Provenance : - Former Brimo de Laroussilhe collection, Paris Bibliography : - P. Bloch, Romanische Bronze-Kruzifixe, Bronzegeräte des Mittelalters, T 5, Berlin, 1992, cat. V C 3, p. 217 and 219, ill. p.96. Model to be compared with a Christ in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, circa 1150 (inv. 17.190.763, fig.).

Estim. 40 000 - 50 000 EUR

Lot 7 - Set of four framing plates, probably from a large shrine, in champlevé copper, enameled, engraved and gilded, enamels, blue, turquoise, red, white, light blue, yellow and green. Decorated with a race of rinceaux with small leaves, head to tail. Mosan, circa 1180/1200 L. 21.9 cm - 21.8 cm - 14.9 cm - 11.4 cm (some missing glazes and repairs) Friezes decorated with alternating foliage are a recurrent decorative theme in Mosan goldsmith's art, used in various techniques such as repoussé metalwork and brown varnish, but also in champlevé enamel. Similar baguettes can be seen on one of the four gables, reputed to come from the shrine of Saint Servais in the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, more precisely on the gable-reliquary of Saint Valentine (inv.1038, fig.). Works consulted: - Exposition Liège 1952, Trésors d'art de la Vallée de la Meuse, Musée des Arts décoratifs, cat.86, pl. 24 - Exhibition Cologne-Brussels 1972, Rhine-Meuse - Art et Civilisation 800-1400, Kunsthalle-Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, cat. G9, p. 244-248 - F. van Noten, The Treasure Room - Masterpieces of Romanesque and Mosan Art, Turnhout, 1999, cat. 11, p. 44-49

Estim. 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 8 - Shrine with oak core, engraved, champlevé, enameled and gilded copper, six applique figures, colored glass cabochons, blue, light blue, green, yellow, white and red enamels. The front and roof plates are adorned with doll figures and cabochons on a guilloché background punctuated with four leaves; those on the reverse are decorated with X's and squared reserves; the gables feature angel figures with raised wings on a squared background; pierced crest. Limoges, circa 1220/30 H. 14.5 cm - W. 13.1 cm - D. 6.5 cm Former collector's label 250 (some missing parts and alterations, including replacement of the central headstock in the lower part and plates with repoussé rinceaux) A similarly decorated shrine is preserved in Namur in the Trésor de la cathédrale Saint-Aubain illustrated in Cat. Expo, Émaux de Limoges XII-XIXe siècle, June 22 - September 8, 1996, Musée des arts anciens du Namurois, p. 57.

Estim. 35 000 - 40 000 EUR

Lot 9 - Pique-cierge in silver-plated bronze. Shaft with flattened sphere median knot, guilloche rings, tripod molded base with claw feet, cup underlined with fillets. Late 13th century H. 14.8 cm

Estim. 3 000 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 10 - Limestone capital carved on all sides in high relief. Slightly flared basket featuring busts of apostles at the four corners: John, beardless and holding a book, Matthew, with an axe on his shoulder, James, wearing a pilgrim's hat adorned with shells, and an unidentified fourth; acanthus leaves between the heads in the middle of each face; four-lobed base with torus astragal; molded abacus. Castile ? third third of the 13th century H. 35 cm - W. 29.5 cm - D. 29 cm (cracks, erosion, minor accidents)

Estim. 3 000 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 11 - Beautifully carved limestone head of a bearded saint. Domed forehead, almond-shaped eyes with hemmed eyelids, prominent cheekbones, half-open mouth with friendly expression revealing the teeth, wavy hair and beard. Île-de-France ? 13th century H. 26.5 cm Soclée (eroded parts)

Estim. 6 500 - 8 000 EUR

Lot 12 - All-surface carved marble stoup base decorated with eight seated lions flanking each other in pairs, their mouths facing forward. Italy, 14th century H. 19.5 cm - L. 31.5 cm Terrace (slight erosion)

Estim. 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 13 - Cloister capital in Saint-Béat marble, carved on all sides. Decorated in two registers: in the upper register, corners adorned with volutes of thick lanceolate leaves framing a bishop's head on one side and a hooded monk's on the other; in the lower register, on one side, the head of an animal with pointed ears and two bodies flanked in profile, legs bent; on the other, the head of a madman wearing a cap with ears and a cape spread out on either side; thick, heavily molded carving. Occitania or Languedoc, 14th century H. 36.5 cm - W. 52 cm - D. 30 cm Base (some missing parts)

Estim. 1 000 - 1 500 EUR

Lot 14 - Winged and crowned phallus, profane sign, in lead and pewter alloy; pin marks on reverse. Last quarter of 14th century H. 3.1 cm - W. 3.8 cm Classified as an "erotic" sign, this winged phallus had more of an apotropaic value. Examples of this type were unearthed in Paris during the dredging of the Seine, and several were in the famous Forgeais collection. Although it does not appear to have been fitted with legs or a bell, like the examples in the Musée de Cluny, this one is particularly well preserved, with fine details. Book consulted : - D. Bruna, Enseignes de pèlerinage et enseignes profanes, Musée national du Moyen Age - Thermes de Cluny, Paris, 1996, p. 317-318

Estim. 1 200 - 1 500 EUR

Lot 15 - Rare profane sign in lead and pewter alloy depicting a knight on horseback, wearing a helmet and holding a shield. Late 14th century H. 4.7 cm - L. 3.3 cm

Estim. 1 500 - 1 800 EUR

Lot 16 - Reliquary bust of a female saint in carved and polychromed limestone. Dressed in a single-necked gown, the saint wears a veil over her wavy hair; large, full face with almond-shaped eyes, thin lips and round chin; reliquary reserve inscribed in a quatrefoil. Middle Rhine, circa 1380/90 H. 28 cm - W. 17 cm - D. 10.7 cm (minor accidents and gaps in the polychromy)

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 17 - Saint George slaying the dragon in limestone carved in the round with traces of polychromy. Helmeted and clad in armor consisting of a breastplate, shoulder pads, thigh pads, knee pads and solerets, he holds the reins in his right hand and would have been holding a spear in the other; the horse covered with a blanket tramples the dragon lying on the ground with its left hind leg, turning its menacing mouth. Bohemia, circa 1380 H. 37 cm - W. 39 cm - D. 15 cm (small accidents, missing parts and restorations) This handsome group can be associated with a number of St. Georges on horseback, whose image became popular in Bohemia following the creation in 1373 of the large bronze equestrian statue attributed to the Parler family and on display in Prague's National Gallery (fig.a). The figure given here of the patron saint of the Prague basilica seems to have been inspired by equestrian seals of the period, such as that of Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, made in 1374, when the prince was just five years old (fig.b). Works consulted: - A. Legner, Die Parler und der Schöne Stil 1350-1400, Cologne, 1978, p. 275 - Exhibition New-York - Prague 2006, Prague - The crown of Bohemia 1347-1437, The Metropolitan Museum - Castle, cat. B. Drake Boehm and J. Fajt

Estim. 7 000 - 10 000 EUR

Lot 18 - Rare octagonal box, pyxis, core of stained softwood, veneered with ebony, bone, red paste and bronze. Each side is adorned with an openwork plate of eight eight-pointed stars on two columns in a frame with red paste remains; the body is outlined with fillets at top and bottom; the lid is geometrically decorated with a frieze arrangement of interlaced braids forming an eight-pointed star; bronze trim consisting of hinges, false angles and lanceolate-ended feet, a hinged hasp with a closing plate with trefoil corners featuring three triggers for the passage of a pin, and a movable top suspension ring. Spain, Nasrid period, Granada, 14th/15th century Overall height 13 cm - Overall width 11.7 cm Box alone, H. 10.9 cm - W. 10.1 cm (slight deformation of the lid) This pyxis, which has come down to us in an excellent state of preservation, belongs to a fairly limited corpus of boxes made in al-Andalus featuring ivory or bone plaques with openwork eight-pointed star motifs. Of very similar dimensions, five have been catalogued to date: Private collection, León (fig.a), Instituto Valencia de Don Juan, Madrid, inv. 4867 (fg.b), London Sotheby's sale, June 10, 2020, lot 87 (fig.c), Museum of Decorative Arts, Madrid, purchase 2023, inv. CE 30485 (fig.d), David Collection, Copenhagen, inv. 1/2017 (fig.e). They come from workshops on the Iberian Peninsula during the Muslim occupation, and borrow their technique and decoration from the Arab art of the Maghreb. Several scholars have studied this production and agree that it dates back to the kingdom of Granada, under the Nasrid dynasty (1238-1492). The originality of the box presented here lies in the simplicity of its decoration, which does not use the fine geometric marquetry technique known in Spanish as taracea that can be seen on the five other examples mentioned above. The use of these boxes remains to be determined: some art historians see them as inkwells, others as pyxes, as some were sold by monasteries. The latter hypothesis seems plausible in view of the geometric layout used by Andalusian craftsmen under Muslim rule, which depicts stars as well as crosses. Works consulted : - Á. Galán y Galindo, "Evolución de las técnicas de talla en marfil" in Boletin del Museo Arqueologico Nacional, 29-30-31/2011-12-13, I, p. 5-64 - N. Silva Santa-Cruz, "Entre la ebanisterai y la eboraria: Un probable tintero (Dawät) nazarí y otras taraceas medievales" in Codex Aquilarensis, 31/2015, p. 233-258

Estim. 12 000 - 15 000 EUR

Lot 19 - Leather-covered wooden case with hinges, hasp lock and engraved wrought-iron top handle; leather with squared and stamped fleur-de-lys decoration. Southern France, 15th century H. 13 cm - W. 36.7 cm - D. 22.8 cm Key (minor accidents and restorations)

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 20 - Pair of tempera-painted ceiling panels in softwood, known as closoirs, depicting a fight between a bird of prey and a snake surrounded by floral motifs and a deer running against a background of cherry branches. Lombardy, Palazzo Cavalcabo, Viadana, late 14th/early 15th century H. 21.2 cm and 21.7 cm - L. 47 cm Framed (added tabs, varnish) Bibliography : - E. Fumagalli, "Soffitto trecentesco gia nel palzzo dei Cavalcabo a Viadana" in Arte Decorativa artitisca e industriale, 1909, p.81-82.

Estim. 600 - 800 EUR

Lot 21 - Rare message box with rich alla certosina decoration in marquetry of bone, green-tinted bone, rosewood and boxwood. The front is stepped, with a geometric checkerboard pattern on the lid and a flowering stem below in a square reserve; side loops with twisted silk thread cordonet with acorn-embellished ends; brass hasp fastener. Northern Italy, Embriachi workshop, 15th century H. 13.7 cm - W. 9 cm - D. 8.4 cm Interior sheathed in green silk velvet, chased with small motifs, Italy, first quarter of the 17th century (wear to the drawstring). Probably commissioned, this appears to be the only known case of this model.

Estim. 8 000 - 10 000 EUR

Lot 22 - Carved oak stall element depicting Saint John the Baptist holding the Lamb. The prophet is dressed in melote, blousante at the waist, with the camel's head resting between his feet. He stands on a scroll surrounding a cinquefoil on one side and a half-man, half-goat creature on the other. 15th century H. 58 cm (restorations notably to the face)

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 23 - Pair of carved oak stall armrests. One depicts a figure seated on the armrest molding, dozing and with arms crossed, wearing a bonnet with the tip falling on the forehead; the other depicts a dog, similarly seated, holding a bird by the tail in its mouth. Second half of the 15th century H. 20.2 cm and 17 cm (Slightly missing, originally made from several pieces of wood)

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 24 - Rare carved walnut hanging bookshelf with minute remnants of red monochrome. Ends depicting two Doctors of the Church, one Saint Augustine, mitred and wearing his episcopal vestments, the other Saint Gregory the Great as pope, wearing the three-crowned tiara. Tuscany, circa 1420 H. 50.2 cm - W. 96 cm - D. 27.5 cm Old collector's label on the back (a few accidents and missing pieces). Book consulted : - C. Baracchini ed., Scultura lignea - Lucca 1200-1425, Florence, 1995, 2 vols.

Estim. 3 500 - 4 500 EUR

Lot 25 - Large longitudinal oak panel, carved in reserve, with a half-reptile, half-fish snake-shaped monster with a curled snout, sticking out its tongue and a scale-covered body edged with curved leaves. 16th century H. 27.5 cm - L. 163.2 cm (slight erosion)

Estim. 1 000 - 1 500 EUR

Lot 26 - Large offering plate in repoussé, engraved and hallmarked brass depicting Saint George slaying the dragon; surrounded by a frieze with a leafy interlace, Gothic fleurons and floral motifs on the wing. The scene is complete with the saint in armor, mounted on his horse and thrusting the tip of his spear into the dragon's mouth, the princess kneeling with her hands clasped, the lamb thrown to the monster in front of her, and the king and queen of Trebizond watching the scene from their castle. Southern Germany, Nuremberg, last third of the 15th century D. 38.9 cm (slight wear) Book consulted : - T. Egyeki-Szabó, Beckenschlägerschüsseln (15.-16. Jhrhundert), Budapest, 2008, cat. 58

Estim. 1 500 - 1 800 EUR

Lot 27 - High-relief carved oak jamb, part of a pan-de-bois, depicting a madman. The figure has a grotesque face and is dressed in a bonnet, belted tunic and shoes. 15th/16th century H. 76 cm - L. 23.3 cm (accidents and missing pieces, reattachments notably to the chin) More the work of "petite cognée" carpenters than imagiers, decorations for half-timbered or panelled houses hold a special place in late medieval sculpture. Grimacing jesters were among the festive and droll characters often depicted on the sablières of both churches and houses, counterbalancing the religious subjects. Numerous examples can be found in Brittany, notably in Saint-Brieuc, Morlaix and Nantes, where the apothecary of the Mellet house uses a jester as a breechcloth. Provenance : - Private collection, Chartres Book consulted : - D. Leloup, Maisons en pan-de-bois de Bretagne. Histoire d'un type d'architecture urbaine, Rennes, 2002

Estim. 2 500 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 28 - Rare reliquary shrine in wrought, chased and openwork iron. Shaped like a house with a gabled roof, the front and sides are decorated with fillings composed of bellows and speckles, flanked by pinnacles; small door on the back closed by a lock. Late 15th century H. 13.5 cm - W. 14.1 cm - D. 7 cm (oxidation, top cross missing)

Estim. 7 000 - 8 000 EUR

Lot 29 - Silver chalice, repoussé, engraved, chased and gilded, inset with two champlevé and enameled shields, black and red enamel. Cylindrical stem with ribbed median knot between two rings inscribed ihesus xps / agnus dei [foliage], flared bowl, eight-sided circular base, two of which bear an armorial shield, one of Salzburg Mi-parti, au 1 : Or, a lion rampant sable lampassed and armed gules; on 2: gules, a fess argent, the other of Archbishop Johann II von Reisberg (1429 - † 1441) Or, a bend sable. Austria, Principality of Salzburg, first half of the 15th century H. 19.2 cm - Gross weight: 365.1 g Number 368 stamped on the foot rim. (missing enamels, later bowl) This chalice appears to be a reassembly with a ribbed knot of an earlier style at the foot edged with a fine frieze of crosses. The Salzburg coat of arms and those of the archbishop were probably set as part of a gift to the prelate, unless he ordered the chalice himself and asked a silversmith to add his coat of arms. Johann II von Reisberg came from a noble Styrian family and was Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg from 1429 to 1441. After studying at the University of Vienna, he was appointed vicar-general of the archdiocese of the principality's city, before becoming dean of the cathedral in 1405. The same coat of arms as on the chalice can be found on the "golden stained glass window" of the St. Leonard church in Tamsweg (1433), which he commissioned (fig.).

Estim. 5 000 - 7 000 EUR

Lot 30 - Embossed copper plaque with remains of gilding, depicting a bust of the Virgin of Sorrows, inscribed in a redentate quatrefoil, the end of the right branch of a processional cross. Northern Italy, early 15th century H. 12.2 cm Pedestal

Estim. 600 - 800 EUR

Lot 31 - Throned Christ in applied repoussé copper with traces of silver plating, part of a reliquary. Seated, Christ raises his right hand in a sign of blessing and places his left hand on a closed book resting on his left knee. Northern Italy, 15th century H. 15 cm Number 442 on reverse On a Plexiglas support

Estim. 600 - 800 EUR

Lot 32 - Large bronze candlestick, shaft with two ringed balusters and three flattened knots, high binet pierced with rectangular openings, wide rimmed base. Flanders, late 15th century H. 26.5 cm (very slight accidents)

Estim. 800 - 1 000 EUR

Lot 33 - Two baptismal font heads sculpted in "black marble", carboniferous limestone from Belgium. Heads entirely surrounded by a hood, one depicting a heart, with stylized features including close-set almond-shaped eyes, a nose with a flat bridge, a horizontally half-open mouth, a thin upper lip and a fleshy lower lip. Mosan, Diocese of Liège, 13th century Heights: 22.5 cm and 20.2 cm Soclées Numerous baptismal fonts and holy water fonts in Belgium, from the 12th to the 16th century, are carved with stylized heads. These belonged to a large circular vat and can be compared in style to the heads on the fonts in Maastricht's Bonnefanten Museum, which are thought to have been made around 1300 (fig.a). The same workshop also supplied the vessel for the church of Saint-Pierre de Haren, in the Borgloon district near Tongeren, also in the late Romanesque style (fig. b).

Estim. 10 000 - 15 000 EUR

Lot 34 - Processional cross, walnut core, silver repoussé, chased and gilded, applique figures, remnants of black, green and blue enamels. Branches with redents ending in a quatrefoil, rim decorated with spherical elements, decoration of rosettes and rosettes, flowery scrolls on the edges. Front: Christ with head tilted to the right shoulder, draped perizonium with lateral fall, superimposed feet; busts of the Virgin Mary, Saint John, God the Father blessing and Mary Magdalene. Reverse: at the intersection, St. Francis receiving the stigmata, surrounded by the Tetramorph. Spherical gilded copper knot, adorned with four engraved silver medallions depicting Saint Sebastian, the Nativity, Saints Gervais and Protais and a saint in front of ramparts holding a monstrance (?) in his right hand. Italy, Abruzzo or Marche, entourage of Pietro Vannini (Ascoli, circa 1413 - 1496), mid-15th century H. 61.5 cm - L. 39.5 cm Molded walnut base Total H. 75.4 cm - Total weight: 3.541 kg (missing spherical elements, minor accidents, later rings, possibly associated knot from the same period and of comparable quality). The workmanship of this processional cross is of fine quality and its state of preservation remarkable, apart from some loss of enamel. The associated knot, with its large silver medallions and finely chased circles, also testifies to the work of a major silversmith. In comparison with the large processional cross in the Musée de Cluny, attributed to Pietro Vannini (inv. Cl. 9927, fig. a), the sconce figures here can be compared to the work of this Ascoli silversmith (figs. b and c). Works consulted - Sculture preziose. Oreficeria sacra nel Lazio dal XIII al XVIII secolo, Rome, 2015, p. 102-103 and p. 206-207 - Emile Bertaux, "Trésors d'Eglises. Ascoli Piceno et l'orfèvre Pietro Vanini", In: Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire, vol. 17, 1897, pp. 77-112 - Giuseppe Clerici, "Cultura e oreficeria del Quattrocento marchigiano: Pietro Vannini", In: Storia dell'arte, Nuova serie, n. 11, 2005, p. 35-58 - Ilaria Pecorelli, "Pietro Vannini's processionnal cross", In: Revista chileno-española, académico científica de humanidades, arte y cultura, no. 7, March 2020

Estim. 12 000 - 15 000 EUR

Lot 35 - Silver bouterolle, formerly gilded and engraved with a katzbalger (cat stirrup). Front decorated with a cat's head sticking out its tongue, speckles on the reverse; spherical end. Germanic countries, late 15th/early 16th century H. 4.6 cm - L. 3.7 cm - Weight : 21.6 g A katzbalger is a relatively short sword, between 50 and 100 cm, worn by lansquenets, the German-speaking mercenary soldiers who served in European armies in the 15th and 16th centuries. These elite, well-paid soldiers in their gleaming clothes were known to be quarrelsome, playful and often violent. Armed with large spears, swordfish, they would resort to shorter weapons such as the katzbalger in close combat, leading to fierce hand-to-hand combat that was likened to catfights, hence the name of this handy little sword. The rare "bouterolle" at the end of the scabbard follows the characteristic rounded shape of this weapon's blade.

Estim. 700 - 900 EUR

Lot 36 - Champlevé copper plate with traces of gilding and remnants of blue, green, black and red enamels, decorated with a crowned lion and an inscription surrounding a female bust AMO EA MAR[E] on the lower part. 15th century H. 6 cm (small dents)

Estim. 500 - 700 EUR

Lot 37 - Rare two-light brass candlestick. Stem with diamond-shaped cross-section dividing into two V-shaped arms, each fitted with a hexagonal spigot pierced with diamond-shaped lights; high molded base. Germany, 15th century H. 29.4 cm (slight deformation at base)

Estim. 1 800 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 38 - Rare bridal sash in pink-brown silk lampworked with gold thread and elements in nielloed silver, chased silver and gilt. Inscriptions woven on the ribbon: SOLAFIDES (fidelity alone) separated by rosettes and entwined hands, mani in fede (literally hands in trust); twelve eyelets (not pierced) in the form of leaning fleurons have been preserved; each end terminates in a scudiccinolo, buckle plate and pendant ; these scudiccinoli are divided into three compartments, decorated with two putto heads framing a flaming, bleeding heart for one, and double-sided for the other, showing the vertical, inverted profiles of a couple separated by a shield bearing the arms of....with a cross at the foot of ... under a floral crown; each scudiccinolo is chased with various motifs, putto, accosted foliage, colonnettes, floral capituli, fleurons and small rosettes; hallmark on the reverse of the plate; chain attached to the pendant ring. Northern Italy, second half of the 15th century Total length 173.3 cm - plate-loop length 11.2 cm - pendant length 11.4 cm Total weight: 144 g (ribbon wear and restoration) Few complete belts have survived, given the fragility of silk ribbons. Among these are a Milanese belt in the Museo Poldi Pezzoli in Milan (fig. a), another in the British Museum (inv. AF.2851), but displayed in several detached pieces, another given as 14th-century Sienese in the Cleveland Museum (fig.b) and a Venetian belt of the same period in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv.17.190.963, fig. b). Although niello is rarely found on gold-plated items, the Louvre Museum holds a buckle with a bust in profile, Italy circa 1500 (inv.0A 11114, fig. c), and two scudiccinoli of the same workmanship as the belt shown here have come to the Dutch art market in recent years, made in a workshop very close to northern Italy (fig. d). The flaming heart represents the ardent love between the bride and groom, with the drops of blood expressing an even higher degree of love. It can be interpreted as both a profane and sacred symbol. This polysemy is accentuated by the repeated inscription SOLAFIDES, which can signify the trust placed in the other as part of marriage, but also the importance and uniqueness of Faith in God. The embracing hands embody the firmness of the love uniting the two spouses. The coats of arms are identical on each side of the pendant, although they could be different and thus illustrate the two families united by this marriage, as is the case on the belt in the British Museum. As they could not be identified in the various armorials of the Italian nobility, it is possible that these coats of arms are more decorative than symbolic, and cannot be linked to a specific family. The Gonzaga family, head of the Marquisate of Mantua, has the motto FIDES, but it is impossible to deduce a link with the belt. Many Lombard cities (including Mantua) have the coat of arms Argent with a cross Gules. Works consulted : - A. Masetti, "Una cintura nuziale con smalti" in Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. Classe di Lettere e Filosofia, 1988, Serie III, Vol. 18, No. 1, p. 231-259 - R. W. Lightbown, Mediaeval European Jewellery, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992, pp. 319-341 - J. Hall, Dictionnaire des mythes et des symboles, Paris, 1994, p. 110-111 - Milan 2011/2012 exhibition, Oro dai Visconti agli Sforza. Smalti e oreficeria nel Ducato di Milano, Museo Diocesano, cat. p. 188-191

Estim. 7 000 - 10 000 EUR

Lot 39 - Illuminated S initial depicting the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The Virgin Mary kneels in prayer before the altar, on which the Infant Jesus is placed. At her side stand a woman (probably the prophetess Anne), Joseph accompanied by a man and Symeon dressed in episcopal vestments. Provence ? second half of the 15th century H. at sight 11.8 cm - W. at sight 10.9 cm In a coaster (small tear at top left corner, minor wear)

Estim. 600 - 800 EUR

Lot 40 - Rare small bronze "poison" mortar with spade-head fins and two ringed handles. Hispano-Moorish, XV/XVIth century H. 3.4 cm (wear from use)

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 41 - Saint Mathias in walnut, carved in the round with remains of polychromy and gilding. The saintly apostle is standing, holding an open book in his right hand and leaning on the handle of an axe with the other; face with emaciated features framed by strongly wavy hair; he is dressed in a tunic and a cloak that returns to the front, completely hiding his left hand; molded reliquary base with downturned corners. Rhône Valley, circa 1400 H. 62.5 cm (very slight accidents) While evangelizing in Judea, St. Matthias was stoned and beheaded with an axe in front of the Temple in Jerusalem. The instrument of his martyrdom made him the patron saint of carpenters, tailors and butchers.

Estim. 4 000 - 5 000 EUR

Lot 42 - Mary as Virgin of the Temple, Tempeljungfrau, carved, polychromed and gilded wood. Of long, lanky build, the Virgin stands with hands clasped in prayer; childlike face with large, rounded forehead and full cheeks, framed by long hair with wavy locks flowing down to the lower back; she is dressed in a belted robe falling to the ground, emphasized by deep, parallel pleats on the front, broken and schematic on the mound, the pointed end of her left shoe visible. Tyrol, circa 1430/40 H. 48 cm (polychrome retouching) The theme of the young Mary in the Temple was particularly popular in German-speaking regions during the Gothic period. Borrowed from the apocryphal Gospels, it was popularized in the Middle Ages by the Golden Legend. It provides an opportunity to paint a charming portrait of a young girl as a symbol of purity. Provenance : - Collection of Archbishop Joachim Meisner of Cologne (1933-2017)

Estim. 6 000 - 8 000 EUR

Lot 43 - Virgin and Child in limestone, carved in the round and polychromed. Standing and slightly swaying, the Virgin carries her Son on her left arm; her head is encircled by a very high crown of flowers enriched with cabochons, set on a half-length veil descending to her shoulders; friendly face framed by wavy hair; dress with embroidered neckline, tightened at the waist by a belt with rosette-adorned buckle, chain falling to the front and ending in a tassel; open cloak whose panels, held under the arms, form long, undulating falls; the Child dressed in a long tunic blesses with his right hand; panned terrace. Rhineland, circa 1410 H. 86.5 cm (some accidents and missing parts, including the Child's head, through-hole at neck level)

Estim. 7 000 - 10 000 EUR

Lot 44 - Carved oak Virgin and Child, hollowed back. Seated, the Virgin holds the swaddled Child in front of her with both hands; her face framed by a wimple and veil, she is dressed in a dress and mantle resting on her shoulders, with a flap reaching to the front of her knees. First half of the 15th century H. 112 cm (slight damage and erosion in areas that were previously worm-eaten) The iconography of the Virgin carrying a swaddled Child is relatively rare in medieval statuary compared to pictorial art. The most famous example is the Bulliot Virgin, attributed to Claus de Werve, in the Rolin Museum in Autun (inv. M.L. 558, fig.). This oak Virgin is an even more interesting example; probably produced in a workshop far from a major scholarly center, it shows a more familiar image of Mary, which would have been more appealing to the faithful attending the rural church in western France where it would have been found.

Estim. 3 000 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 44.bis - Bust of an important Virgin of Calvary in carved oak with traces of polychromy, hollow back. Mary holds her hands together, her head slightly tilted forward; beautiful face framed by a wimple falling over the neck and a thick veil overhanging the forehead; collected expression with saucer-shaped eyes edged with heavy eyelids, long straight nose and well-defined mouth with thin lips. Northern Netherlands, circa 1500 Height: 59 cm - Width: 43.5 cm - Depth: 32 cm (erosion and missing parts, hole in the back of the head) Works consulted: - M. van Vlierden, Hout- en steensculptuur van Museum Catharijneconvent ca. 1200-1600, Utrecht, 2004. - Exhibition Utrecht - Aachen 2013, Ontsnapt aan de Beeldenstorm. Middeleeuwse beelden uit Utrecht 1430-1530, Museum Catharijneconvent - Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, cat.

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 45 - Virgin's head in limestone, carved in appliqué, polychromed and gilded. Full-cheeked face with eyes tapering towards the temples; crown with foliate fleurons and cabochons set on a veil revealing the wavy locks of hair. 15th century H. 24.5 cm - W. 17.5 cm - D. 9 cm (a few visible accidents, notably to the chin)

Estim. 800 - 1 200 EUR

Lot 46 - Child's head in fine-grained limestone, carved with minute traces of gilding. Face with full cheeks, prominent eyes with hemmed eyelids marked with small crow's feet, smiling mouth with fleshy lower lip; refined treatment of the ears and hair with small wisps at the top of the forehead and curls with hooked ends in two registers. Burgundy-Champagne, 15th century H. 14 cm Base (slight accidents)

Estim. 2 500 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 47 - Lying Christ in carved, polychromed and gilded wood, probably from a large Lamentation over the Dead Christ, Compianto sul Cristo morto. Jesus is stretched out, his head framed by his long, wavy hair, slightly tilted towards his right shoulder, his face with closed eyes and half-open mouth, his arms crossed in front of him, his legs parallel, his body marked by the Passion. Northern Italy, Lombardy or Piedmont, 15th century L. 124 cm (small accidents and missing pieces) In Lombardy and Piedmont, groups, sometimes life-size, depicting the Lamentation over the Dead Christ are found, featuring numerous figures around the body of the reclining Savior. Examples include the one at the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso near Locarno, at Gropello Cairoli in the province of Pavia (fig. a) and at Vigevano in the same region (fig. b). Works consulted : - R. Casciaro, La scultura lignea lombarda del Rinascimento, Milan, 2000, pp. 96-109

Estim. 6 000 - 8 000 EUR

Lot 48 - Sculpted limestone angel with traces of polychromy. Face with full cheeks and fully curled hair; clad in a tunic bloused at the waist, he holds a banner in his left hand and makes a gesture of designation with the other. Original hanging ring on back. Mid 15th century H. 21.5 cm - W. 34 cm - D. 15 cm (slight accidents)

Estim. 3 000 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 49 - Beautiful carved walnut head of Saint John the Baptist. The prophet's face is emaciated, with a wrinkled forehead, arching eyebrows, high-relief eyes with finely hemmed eyelids, prominent cheekbones and hollow cheeks, and a half-open mouth with thin lips revealing the teeth. The bifid beard and long hair are treated in tight curls with strong waves. Middle Rhine, Westphalia, Dortmund, circa 1460/70 H. 22 cm (some wear and tear) The abundance of curls with strong waves and this curious face with crossbow-shaped eyebrows in high relief, semi-circular eyes with heavy eyelids, with the same placement of the whiskers around the well-defined lips, can be found on several sculptures in the Schnutgen Museum in Cologne given as coming from Dortmund in Westphalia (inv. A 452, A 503 and A 508). Book consulted : - R. Karrenbrock, Die Holzkulpturen des Mittelalters II, 1400 bis 1540, Cologne, 2001, p.406-414

Estim. 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 50 - Beautiful Cristo morto head in carved and polychromed basswood. Calm expression of the face, eyes closed, mouth half-open and exhaling; hair divided by a median parting with coiled and twisted locks; the chin is bordered by a beard treated in wavy curls separated from each other. Florence, attributed to the workshop of the Maiano Brothers, circa 1460/70 H. 22.7 cm (some missing parts and old wormholes) Provenance : - Former collection of an Italian noble family

Estim. 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 51 - Marble bas-relief depicting the right profile of Galéas Marie Sforza (1444-1476), in a molded frame. Dressed in a pourpoint with a collar highlighted by a beaded ribbon, the Duke of Milan has an aquiline profile, a heavy chin and medium-length hair with very slightly wavy locks. Inscription GA[LEAZZO] M[ARIA]. Lombardy, circa 1460/70 H. 36 cm - L. 24 cm Lead fastener on reverse (small accidents and missing edges, broken and glued back together, especially at the neck). Galeazzo Maria Sforza, fifth Duke of Milan and brother of Ludovico il Moro, is reputed to have been a tyrannical, depraved, perverse prince of patronage and uninspired governance. He was assassinated at the age of 32, on Boxing Day 1476, the victim of a conspiracy by three officers of the Milan court, including a Visconti, a family allied to his own. Two marble tondi in French public collections depict his portrait with its characteristic profile, one in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon and the other in the Musée du Louvre (inv. RF 1631, fig.). Both date from the end of the 15th century, and show an image of an older duke, probably corresponding to that shortly before his death, unlike the latter where he is depicted as a young man. More stylized in style, this profile is surprising in its precision, highlighting without complacency the particular features of this character, his busted nose spilling over the frame. Book consulted : - G. Bresc-Bautier sous la dir. de, Les sculptures européennes du musée du Louvre, Paris, 2006, p. 241

Estim. 1 200 - 1 500 EUR

Lot 52 - Rare reliquary bust of a Franciscan saint, with carved and gilded wooden bust and gilded cartapesta head. Wearing a simple monastic habit with a raised collar and indented braces, the saint presents a massive face with a severe expression treated like a portrait: tonsured hair, wrinkled forehead, small almond-shaped eyes emphasized by crow's feet, strong nose, emaciated cheeks, tight mouth with a slightly fleshy lower lip, wide jaw. Removable head with a small square opening at the back, closed by a gilded wooden (beech) door, formerly fitted with a lock. Suspension rings on the sides of the head. Tuscany, second half of the 15th century H. 40.5 cm - L. 41.5 cm Base upholstered in pink silk velvet (worn) (minor damage and missing parts) The severity of this bust's forehead is fascinatingly realistic, reminiscent of certain busts of dignitaries from the Florentine Quattrocento period. The poverty of the materials, wood and cartapesta, offset by the thick gilding, is probably the choice of a community of Franciscans who took vows of poverty in accordance with their patron saint. However, the skilful use of this technique did not prevent the bust from taking on a certain preciousness in imitation of a piece of goldsmith's work. The use of papier-mâché has made it possible to obtain a hollowed-out head to preserve the relic, which would not have been possible in a piece of wood. Florentine artists had mastered the art of making sculptures in stucco or cartapesta, a technique that had the advantage of being inexpensive and light. Provenance : - Sale Paris, Hôtel Drouot, Me Ader, December 7, 2009, exp. Raud, lot 165, as Italian work late 16th/early 17th century

Estim. 5 000 - 7 000 EUR

Lot 53 - Saint Agnes in carved, polychromed and gilded basswood, hollow back. Standing, her head crowned with a wreath of flowers on wavy, flowing hair, she carries a lamb on her right arm; she is dressed in a belted, V-neck dress and a mantle that falls to the front. Alsace, late 15th century H. 131 cm (a few accidents and missing pieces)

Estim. 6 000 - 8 000 EUR

Lot 54 - Female head, ? recumbent, in applied limestone with traces of monochrome on the cheeks. Oval face with eyes slit to the temples, swollen eyelids, well-defined mouth with upturned corners, round chin; hair divided by a median parting covered by a pleated veil. Languedoc, around the Master of Combefa, late 15th century H. 14.5 cm - L. 12 cm - Th. 8 cm (minor scratches, mainly on the nose) This astonishing head shows traces of gradine on the upper and right side of the veil, suggesting that it was placed under a canopy. The highly individual stylization of the eyes and the careful treatment of the lips, as well as the quality of the limestone used, are reminiscent of the characteristics of Languedoc sculpture. A case in point is the Mise au tombeau from Monestiés-sur-Gérou (Tarn) (fig. a and b). This exceptional polychromed limestone ensemble comprises a Christ on the Cross, a Lamentation and a Entombment, with no fewer than twenty figures. Before being placed in the chapel of the Hôpital Saint-Jacques in Monestiés, it had been commissioned by Louis d'Amboise for the chapel of his Château de Combefa, consecrated in 1490. Although several hands are acknowledged to have worked on this commission, a common typology emerges in the physiognomy of the female faces, recognized as unique in the art of medieval statuary. The anonymous master who inspired this very particular style was referred to by default as Maître de Combéfa in Jacques Baudoin's book on Rouergue and Languedoc. Provenance : - Former Périgord collection for over twenty years. Book consulted : - J. Baudoin, Rouergue - Languedoc, La sculpture flamboyante, ed. Créer, Nonette, n.d., p. 249-257

Estim. 3 000 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 55 - Beautifully carved and polychromed limewood Christ. Head tilted towards the right shoulder, encircled by an interlaced crown, face with fine features, half-open mouth and bifid beard, draped perizonium, in high relief, with fall on the left hip, slightly bent parallel legs with superimposed feet. Southern Germany, circa 1500/10 H. 70 cm - L. 62 cm (hands and feet restored, small missing parts)

Estim. 1 800 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 56 - Virgin and Child in carved walnut with traces of polychromy. Standing on a crescent resting on stylized clouds, Mary carries the Child on her left arm; her face has a clear forehead, half-closed eyes with finely hemmed eyelids, a mouth with full lips and a round chin; it is framed by long locks of hair reaching down to the waist; she is clad in a gown fastened at the waist by a belt with a buckle, and adorned at the end with an ornate plaque, as well as a mantle held to the chest by a ribbon embellished with cabochons; the Child, with curly hair and dressed in a long tunic, places his left hand on the orb and grasps a lock of his Mother's hair with the other. Middle Rhine, late 15th century H. 115 cm (some missing parts, including the Virgin's right hand, worming and filling on the back)

Estim. 5 000 - 7 000 EUR

Lot 57 - Two important groups from a single altarpiece in polychromed limewood, carved in appliqué, depicting Christ in the Garden of Olives, with sunken backs. The group on the right shows Jesus, with a sorrowful expression, kneeling, hands clasped, head raised to heaven, with a sleeping St. Peter leaning against a tree trunk below; the group on the left depicts St. John with childlike features and St. James, both dozing, and in the background, Judas holding the bag of thirty denarii, accompanied by a soldier crossing the garden fence. Alsace, first third of the 16th century H. 69 cm - W. 47 cm - D. 21 cm and H. 60 cm - W. 44 cm - D. 20 cm (a few accidents and restorations) Provenance : - Former Claer collection, Mulhouse (labels on the backs of the two groups)

Estim. 7 000 - 9 000 EUR

Lot 58 - Virgin and Child bust in wood carved in the round, formerly silvered and gilded. Mary presents the Child on her left side; she wears a veil revealing the long, wavy locks of her hair flowing down to her shoulders; she is dressed in a belted gown and a mantle, one flap of which returns to the front, forming broken, angular folds close to the body; the Child's face is blessing, with full cheeks and a high, rounded forehead surmounted by a tuft of curly hair. Octagonal base resting on eight ball feet. Northern Italy or Spain, 16th century Total height 38.5 cm (slight accidents, missing fingers on Mary's right hand)

Estim. 4 000 - 5 500 EUR

Lot 59 - Saint Lucy in oak carved in the round, with remains of polychromy and gilding. Standing with her head crowned, the saint holds a martyrdom palm in her right hand and a book with her eyes in the other; she is dressed in a dress with a rounded neckline revealing a button-down shirt, and an open cloak with a flap held under the book; molded monoxyle base with flanks. Lower Rhine, early 16th century H. 61 cm (a few accidents and missing pieces, filling around the edge of the mantle)

Estim. 2 500 - 3 500 EUR

Lot 60 - Carved, polychromed and gilded limewood group of three apostles, part of an altarpiece, representing, at mid-bust, Saint James, Saint John and a third apostle. Alsace, first third of the 16th century H. 40 cm (minor damage and missing parts) This group would have been part of a set of four, placed at the bottom of an altarpiece, like those seen in the famous Issenheim altarpiece in Colmar's Musée Unterlinden (fig. a, b, c and d).

Estim. 2 500 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 61 - Large boxwood Christ carved in the round and polychromed. Head bent over the right shoulder with wavy hair and short beard, closed eyes and half-open mouth, perizonium tied on the right hip, bent legs with internal rotation and superimposed feet; beautiful facial expression, finely sculpted beard, ribcage with protruding ribs, gnarled legs. Italy, after a model by Guglielmo della Porta (Porlezza, circa 1515- Rome, 1577), circa 1580 H. 51.5 cm (minor accidents, including a few missing fingers)

Estim. 1 800 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 62 - Large Mage King in carved, polychromed and gilded basswood, rough back. Mounted on a horse, he is clad in a tunic worn over a cuirass, a mantle resting on his shoulders; his head is topped with a high crown set on medium-length, curly hair; handsome, elongated face with emaciated features. Terrace. Southern Germany, first third of the 16th century Total height 67.5 cm - Total length 42 cm (minor accidents and restorations)

Estim. 7 000 - 10 000 EUR

Lot 63 - Grotesque head in polychromed oak, flat back. Wearing a bonnet, the man's coarse, caricatured features show his mouth twisted by the pain of the lion's bite devouring his right cheek, his tongue out and his parted lips revealing a snag. Flanders, 16th century H. 14 cm - W. 14.5 cm - D. 12 cm Pedestal

Estim. 1 000 - 1 500 EUR

Lot 64 - Lead finial. Octagonal and conical in cross-section, it is adorned on each side and on two levels with a mascaron with a grimacing head. 16th century H. 61.5 cm (accidents, missing parts including the top)

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 65 - Monstrance reliquary in cast and engraved silver, cast and cut brass. Reliquary in the form of a small architectural shrine with a roof topped by a cross and pinnacles at the corners, ends adorned with a rose and foliage, small antique-style bust in the center of the longitudinal borders; cylindrical stem with gadrooned knot and pearl frieze, lower part adorned with a crown of flowers; elongated six-sided base decorated with foliage, wolf's tooth and pearl friezes. First half of the 16th century H. 35 cm - L. 25 cm - Gross weight: 1,122.3 g (minor accidents, top cross possibly restored) This beautiful silver mount, unfortunately without hallmark, has the original feature of being decorated with an engraved rose at each end of the reliquary, evoking the Tudor Rose that became the emblem of England. Provenance : - Private chapel of a Nantes estate

Estim. 1 000 - 1 500 EUR

Lot 66 - Rondel painted in grisaille and silver yellow depicting the Crucifixion between the Virgin and Saint John against a landscape background. 16th century D. 23 cm (two small chips at the edge)

Estim. 200 - 300 EUR

Lot 67 - Rectangular stained glass window painted in grisaille and silver yellow depicting the Creation of Eve (Gn 2: 21-22). God the Father, accompanied by a lion, places his hand on Eve's head as she emerges from Adam's torso. 16th century H. 24.7 cm - L. 20.9 cm (broken and reglued, lower part missing)

Estim. 200 - 300 EUR

Lot 68 - Chased and engraved silver heart-shaped pendant adorned with a spherical bezoar set and surrounded by florets; reverse with monogram of Christ surrounded by cut leaves and flowers. Germany, late 15th century H. with setting 3.7 cm - Gross weight: 13.2 g (small dents) This rare pendant placed the loved one under a double protection, that of the antidote protecting against poison and plague, but also the divine protection of Christ.

Estim. 3 000 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 69 - Gilded bronze plaque depicting the Virgin and Child. Seated on a high-backed pulpit, the Virgin carries the Child in her hands, her head tilted towards her right shoulder; she is surrounded by six cherubs in various attitudes, two holding garlands of flowers, one playing the flute, the other three grasping her long hair or parts of her cloak. Two mounting holes. Germany, Augsburg, entourage of Hans Schwarz (1492- active until 1532), circa 1520 H. 13.5 cm - L. 10 cm (a hole on the lower right) Several examples of this beautiful plate are preserved in various museums, most in bronze, sometimes in lead as in the Louvre (inv. OA 2556), as well as one in carta pesta preserved by the city of Augsburg. Works consulted: - I. Weber, Deutsche, Niederaändische und Französische Renais-sanceplaketten 1500-1650, Munich, 1975, no. 125, pp. 114-115, Taf. 42

Estim. 600 - 800 EUR

Lot 70 - Set of twenty-five engraved vignettes, margin fragments, black and red ink, depicting elements of the Danse macabre on both sides, from a book of Hours Hore diue virginis Marie printed by Thielman Kerver. Paris, Thielman Kerver(†1522), circa 1511 Vignette: approx. 5.3 cm x 2.2 cm In diptych coasters, H. 33.3 cm - W. open 48.7 cm Old English catalog label with mention [...]eden -Cat 60 1982. (small accidents) Thielman Kerver I (†1572) was an important printer and seller of religious books, originally from Koblenz but active in Paris 1497-1522. After his death, the printing house was taken over by his widow Yolande Bonhomme, then by his son Thielman II Kerver, who was succeeded by his son Jacques Thielman. Kerver published a variant of Simon Vostre's dance with sixty-six figures in Latin. The same series also exists in French, Dutch and Spanish. A complete copy is preserved at the University of Virginia Library (Gordon 1511.C38).

Estim. 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 71 - Rare bronze matrix engraved in relief depicting the Woman of the Apocalypse. Standing on a crescent, her head crowned with a crown of stars, she carries a child on her right arm, holding a fleur-de-lis scepter in her left hand; framed by phylacteries inscribed with the Bible verse MULIER AMICTA SOLE ET LUNA SUB PEDIBUS EIUS (A woman clothed with the sun and the moon beneath her feet); at each corner is a bust in a medallion wearing various headgear; shield cantoned with foliate foliage at bottom. Two grips on the back. Early 16th century H. 11.2 cm - L. 7.7 cm The inscription is taken from the first verse of chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation: "A great sign appeared in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars". Various interpretations have been made of this vision, the Woman representing either the Virgin Mary, the New Eve or the Church. The busts in the corners appear to be those of sybils, emperors or biblical figures, as seen in Philippe Pigouchet's early printed books of Hours for Simon Vostre. This plate was probably intended for printing a page in a Book of Hours, as the blank shield could be hand-painted with the commissioner's coat of arms. Few original matrices have survived, and no corresponding prints have been identified.

Estim. 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 72 - Patinated bronze female figure of Athena, helmeted, bare-chested, with scrolled arms; sheath decorated with a scowling mascaron and a shell on the reverse, linked by drapery. Northern Italy, Venice, second half of the 16th century H. 17.5 cm On a square bronze base Works consulted : - H. Weihrauch sous la dir. de, Die Bildwerke in Bronze und in anderen Metallen, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum München, Munich, 1956, n°130, p. 106 - M. G. d'Apuzzo, La Collezione dei Bronzi del Museo Civico Medievale di Bologna, Florence, 2017, n°38, p. 147

Estim. 400 - 600 EUR

Lot 73 - Translucent black patina bronze inkwell in the form of a putto seated on a dolphin whose tail supports a shell. Venice, mid-16th century H. 6.2 cm - L. 12 cm

Estim. 600 - 800 EUR

Lot 74 - Gilded bronze kissing plate depicting the Throne of Grace in an architectural frame with fluted columns and pediment; putti, horns of plenty, garlands, shields, inscription PAX.VOBIS. (Peace [be] with you) Italy, Venice, mid-16th century H. 20.8 cm An in-depth study by American art historian and collector Mike Riddick has examined this type of architecturally framed kiss of peace plaque. He notes Raphael's influence, particularly in the interpretation of the cherubs. Riddick lists four plates with similar frames and various subjects, two depicting the Risen Christ in private collections, one dated 1557, another in the Louvre with the Lamentation at the Foot of the Cross (inv. OA 2543) and this one illustrating the Throne of Grace. He likens this production to the school of the silversmith Antonio da San Marino, who worked in Rome for Popes Innocent VIII and Alexander VI. Bibliography : - M. Riddick, Metalwork in the Ambit of Raphael Link: https://renbronze.com/2021/04/26/metalwork-in-the-ambit-of-raphael/ Works consulted: - P. Malgouyres, De Filarete à Riccio. Italian Renaissance bronzes (1430-1550). La collection du Musée du Louvre, Paris, Louvre Editions; Mare & Martin, 2020, p. 340, n° 190

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 75 - Travelling cutlery with carved boxwood, silver and steel handles and chamois-colored leather scabbard. Handles depicting the allegories of Charity carrying a child, two others at her side, and Justice, blindfolded, holding scales and sword; silver fork and ferrules, steel blade with cutler's mark at the f surmounted by a quatrefoil. Case with stamped and chased decoration of profiles in medallions and early Renaissance arabesques, striations and wolf's teeth, belt loops. France, circa 1520/40 L. knife 18.2 cm - fork 14 cm ; L. total 22.7 cm (slight damage to the case)

Estim. 2 500 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 76 - Rare Renaissance folding knife with finely carved ivory handle, engraved and partly gilded steel blade, silver ring. Handle in the shape of a nude young woman holding a flowering stem in her right hand, her hair upturned into a braided crown, two wavy locks resting on the shoulders, circular base decorated with a foliage scroll, beautifully executed; rotating ring decorated with foliage friezes; blade with beveled back and ricasso also engraved with foliage. France, circa 1560/70 L. open 15.9 cm - L. closed 9 cm - Weight : 28.1 g (very slight wear, small cracks) A hunting set with ivory handles from a private collection features the same engraved etching and gilding on the blade ricasso; dated 1564, it is given as French. Book consulted : - K. Marquardt, Eight Centuries of European Knives, Forks and Spoons, Stuttgart, 1997, cat.85 p. 36-37 and 200 CITES certificate issued 28/05/2024

Estim. 2 500 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 77 - Carved and engraved bovid horn shoehorn with black highlights. The very tapered shape is divided into four registers separated by friezes of hatching or interlacing; from top to bottom, a group of fruits, a young soldier with a sword and a shield, wearing a feathered hat and a ruff around his neck, a lansquenet holding a spear, a sword hanging behind him, a couple in Renaissance costume, the woman raising a cup with her left hand, the man seated next to her, both carrying a strawberry; date 1593 in the field; turned and panelled end-piece. Germany or Flanders, late 16th century, 1593 L. 47 cm (the flared end is slightly missing) This shoehorn is one of those objects for everyday use, made of inexpensive materials but decorated with refinement and refinement, featuring picturesque or heroic characters. A number of horn shoehorns are listed in museums, some bearing inscriptions or dates. The name of a craftsman, Robert Hendart Mindum, active in England from 1593 to 1613, is known to have signed several of these objects; it is thought that he was of Walloon origin, or that he was a French Huguenot who crossed the Channel following the Wars of Religion, prior to the promulgation of the Edict of Nantes in 1598. His workmanship, however, is slightly different from that of the shoehorn shown here, which is more closely related to a later example in the Louvre, dated 1623 (inv. 0A.190, fig.a, a'). This same workshop, like Mindum's, also produced gunpowder flasks, as can be seen by this one, also in the Louvre, featuring an armed man with a stump under his legs, as seen here on the two upper registers (fig.b.). Book consulted : - P. Malgouyres, Ivoires de la Renaissance et des Temps modernes, Paris, 2010, cat. 128 and 185, p. 186 and 235

Estim. 4 000 - 6 000 EUR

Lot 78 - Suite of four chased, engraved and gilt silver apostle spoons. Rounded spoon on reverse decorated with fleur-de-lys and interlacing; elaborate handle decorated, on one side, with a figure of an apostle under an arch (Paul, Andrew, John and James the Lesser), on the other, with a coat of arms with mantling and crowned helmet, surmounted by wings and a star, cherub's head on one side and on the other, panelled stem bearing a double-sided inscription in Polish: AT NARODIL . SE . Z . MARIE . PANNY / [...]IE : GENZ : SE : POCZAL . ZDVCHA // S : M : APO . SMRTI . ZIWOT . / . WIECZNY . * . AMEN . * . // GELISTA . TRPIEL . POD . PONTSKIM . PILAT / IZOVVAN . VMRZEL . APOHRZBEN . * . // S : IVDAS : TIELA . ZMRTWIC / WZKKISSENI . end decorated with a figure of Christ blessing and holding the orb. Unidentified but listed hallmarks, import hallmark with weevil. Poland ? late 16th century L. 20.2 cm - Total weight: 259.2 g (small accident to a spoon) The complete series of Apostle spoons numbered twelve. The earliest date from the end of the 15th century, and production seems to have stopped around 1660. It was customary in northern and central European countries to give them as baptismal gifts. Wealthier families had them made in silver, as shown here; a complete set or just one with the saint corresponding to the child's name was given. For more modest families, they were made from less expensive materials, such as pewter or brass. The National Museum in Krakow preserves two very comparable examples with liturgical inscriptions on the handles. It is remarkable to be able to present four from the same series. Works consulted: - A. Bochnak and K. Buczkowski, Decorative Arts in Poland, Warsaw, 1972, cat. 159, p. 202 - M. Rosenberg, Der Goldschmiede Merkzeichen, Berlin, 1928, vol. IV, p. 600

Estim. 3 500 - 5 000 EUR

Lot 79 - Rare pewter coffee pot with baluster-shaped body, animal-head spout and circular molded base; three-tower open castle engraved on the lid. circa 1500 H. 16 cm (some restoration to the body and oxidation)

Estim. 1 800 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 80 - Nautilus ewer with openwork and engraved pewter mount. Portugal, 16th/17th century H. 16.5 cm (corrosion, some missing parts and restorations) This curious ewer is a real object of curiosity, as these mounted shell pieces were usually mounted in copper or gilded silver. However, the Musée du Louvre holds a pilgrim's gourd in opaque light-blue glass with a pewter mount that belonged to the Sauvageot collection (inv. OA 457). The corrosion of the pewter seems to indicate a long stay in an aquatic environment.

Estim. 600 - 800 EUR

Lot 81 - High-relief alabaster plaque with gold highlights depicting the Throne of Grace, i.e. the Holy Trinity with God the Son in Christ supported by God the Father, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove resting on the latter's shoulder. Radiant background animated by cherubs bearing the Instruments of the Passion (cross, whip, rods and Flagellation column). Mons, entourage of Jacques du Brœucq (1505-1584), second half of the 16th century H. 36.5 cm - L. 28.7 cm. (small accidents, missing parts and wear) The source of the composition appears to be Dürer's 1511 engraving of the Holy Trinity, albeit reinterpreted (fig. a). The theme of the Throne of Grace has been a recurrent theme among Flemish artists since the 15th century, and a version attributed to Dubroeucq comparable to this one, but in a freer style, is in the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. A.8-1943, fig. b). Book consulted : - M. Debaene, Alabaster Sculpture in Europe 1300-1650, London, 2022

Estim. 2 800 - 3 500 EUR

Lot 82 - Poplar core case decorated on all sides with pastiglia on a gold background, standing on round, flattened feet. Decorated with scenes from Roman history: front, a troop of soldiers in front of a fortress with a woman; back, probably the continence of Scipio represented seated on his throne surrounded by his soldiers; left side, Lucretia; right side, Brutus naked and standing on a pedestal haranguing a troop. Northeastern Italy, attributed to the Atelier des thèmes moraux et amoureux, circa 1500/1515 H. 7.5 cm - W. 15.4 cm - D. 10 cm Inscription faded on the underside of the box (lid missing, minor accidents). An illustrated box featuring many of the same themes is in the Musée du Louvre (inv. OAE 368).

Estim. 800 - 1 000 EUR

Lot 83 - Cast, cut and engraved brass box. In imitation of a wood and iron box, it features lanceolate hinges, a humpback lock, a cut-out plinth, a lid with scalloped edge, a top handle and even an interior eclipette; date 1542 inscribed in a phylactery on the lid; key. Germanic countries, second quarter of the 16th century, 1542 H. 9.8 cm W. 16.5 cm - D. 9.7 cm (minor restorations, later key)

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 84 - Rare wedding box in boxwood or fruitwood (genus prunus), finely carved with minute remnants of red monochrome. Monoxyle box with sliding lid adorned with fillings, composed of two roses and arcatures, lattice friezes and a couple on either side of a bi-annual flowering vase, the man holding a belt, the woman a flowering branch; inscription in Gothic letters A GLAVDO ; circular reserve in the center to hold a mirror; sides decorated with two small panels underlined by Gothic arcatures and festoons; secret opening system, accessible under a small side, allowing a mechanism to be operated (missing). Provence ?, circa 1500/1520 H. 6 cm - W. 19 cm - D. 11.2 cm Label under the lid bearing the inscription travail d'Arles époque fin XVe début XVIe siècle / vente château de Flée [Côte d'or, 1912 sale].

Estim. 2 000 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 85 - Domed-top case with oak core, decorated with openwork bone plaques set on a linen background, decorated with Gothic rosettes and fillings, flowers and foliage, embossed and molded brass fittings. Alpine region of southern Germany, 16th century H. 15.5 cm - W. 24.6 cm - D. 11.5 cm Key Collection label on bottom. (small accidents and missing parts, one plate redone, lock dismantled) Sofia Rodriguez Bemis, director of Barcelona's Museu Nacional de Artes Decorativas, has likened this case from the former Junyent collection to the Nuremberg production based on the use of brass. This thesis does not seem very convincing and it would be more likely to locate the production of this type of box further south, perhaps in the Alpine regions of southern Germany. Provenance : - Former Oleguer Junyent (1876-1956) collection, Barcelona. Oleguer Junyent (1876-1956) was a painter, decorator, collector and antiquarian best known for his round-the-world voyage in 1908. - Purchased at Tefaf from Artur Ramon, antique dealer, Madrid - Private collection, Barcelona Exhibitions : - Barcelona Exhibition 1929, El arte en Espana, Palacio nacional, cat. 2886 - Exhibition Barcelona February-March 1961, Oleguer Junyent, Palacio de la Virreina, p. 48, cat. 222 Works consulted : - S. Rodriguez Bemis, El arte en el tiempo del Tratado de Tordesillas, Tordesillas, 1994, no. 91

Estim. 4 000 - 6 000 EUR

Lot 86 - Marble bas-relief depicting a bust of Louis XI. His head is covered by his famous hat, here made of hair and placed on a bonnet, and he is wearing the collar of the Order of Saint-Michel, which he founded in 1469. Late 16th century H. 38 cm - L. 25.5 cm Formerly presented on an oak panel (missing the sign that once adorned the hat, fixing holes). This is a finely crafted portrait of the sovereign, taking on the characteristics of the famous profile of the King of France as depicted in several paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries. It is thought that this profile, with its signet-brimmed hat and ear-covering bonnet, as well as the shell collar of the Order of Saint-Michel, was inspired by a lost original attributed to Jean Fouquet. The quality of this portrait can be compared with a profile of King Henri II, of comparable proportions (36 cm x 31 cm), also executed in white marble, which is preserved in the collections of the Musée National de la Renaissance in Ecouen (inv. EC84, fig.). Dated to the end of the 16th century and most likely part of a series of portraits of the kings of France, it is thought to have come from the château of Antoine de Sarlant, maître d'hôtel to Catherine de Médicis, in Auvergne (Puy-de-Dôme). It is therefore quite possible that this portrait of Louis XI was part of the same series.

Estim. 4 000 - 5 000 EUR

Lot 87 - Rare wooden sewing box fully upholstered in green velvet embroidered with green silk thread and decorated with floral motifs. The interior is lined with pink paper and features compartments with lacquered leather and gilded panels decorated with children under arcatures, two couples, one around the Serpent tree and the other on either side of a flower, and a bear and boar hunt. Netherlands, circa 1580 / 1620 H. 10 cm - W. 32 cm - D. 18 cm (minor wear to the velvet, small accidents and missing parts) The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam holds a comparable sewing box (inv. NM 3582, fig.). Book consulted : - Exposition Ecouen 2019, Graver la Renaissance - Etienne Delaune et les arts décoratifs, Musée national de la Renaissance, cat. fig.1, p. 90 and 91

Estim. 3 000 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 88 - Circular box in chased and gilded silver. Conical lid and body decorated with cut leather interlacing, groups of fruits and pastilles; seed-shaped handle; hasp lock. Marked on the bottom. Spain, Saragossa, second half of the 16th century H. 7.7 cm - Weight : 140.8 g

Estim. 2 500 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 89 - Cypress cabinet with flat carved decoration and ink highlights. It opens with a flap over a central door framed by eleven drawers, one hidden by the pediment; the two upper drawers conceal two others; secret at the bottom containing three drawers and a compartment; flap framed with foliage surrounding a landscape with rider and soldiers; inside the flap depicting Judith holding the head of Holofernes between two soldiers surrounded by an encampment; framed with foliage; similar foliage decoration on the drawers. Northern Italy, Friuli, late 16th century H. 54.8 cm - W. 55.6 cm - D. 35.8 cm (restorations, small accidents and missing parts) Handwritten inscription in ink inside Bonaparte Jerome Guillaume Bruel. Three keys

Estim. 2 500 - 3 500 EUR

Lot 90 - Small cabinet in native wood marquetry on softwood core with green highlights, opening through a flap into six drawers, top forming a lid revealing a box at the top. Decorated with cities and stylized vegetation on the drawer fronts and musical instruments on the inside of the flap; case with geometric compartments on all sides simulating panels; top handle, hinges, hasp lock and wrought-iron knobs. Southern Germany, Augsburg, circa 1580 H. 24.7 cm - W. 33 cm - D. 21 cm Key (minor accidents and restorations, flap very slightly warped).

Estim. 5 000 - 7 000 EUR

Lot 91 - Six plates from a single suite in painted polychrome enamel with gold highlights, enamel on silver flakes and translucent enamel depicting scenes from the legend of Saint Martial de Limoges, one dated 1544. Salmon-colored counter-enamels, one bearing the Pénicaud hallmark on the reverse. - Saint Martial as a child witnesses the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. - Saint Martial as a child is blessed by Christ. - Saint Martial resurrects Austriclinien. - God appears to Saint Martial and his companions in Limoges. Crowned PL mark on counter-enamel. - Saint Martial preaching. Dated 1544. - God appears to Saint Martial to announce his imminent death. Limoges, Jean II Pénicaud, mid-sixteenth century, dated 1544. H. 15 cm - L. between 20.5 cm and 21 cm (a few accidents and missing pieces, alterations to some enamels) Saint Martial, the first bishop of Limoges, was, according to Gregory of Tours, one of the seven Missionaries sent from Rome to evangelize Gaul. These plaques, illustrating the life of Limousin's patron saint, are part of an important series, estimated to number eighteen. This framed set was still preserved in 1765 in a chapel of the Abbey of Saint-Martial in Limoges, according to a contemporary account. It was subsequently dispersed, but the exact circumstances are unknown. Only three of these plates have so far been located, one belonging to the collections of the British Museum in London (inv. 1913,1220.15, fig.a) and two others sold in 2014 in Paris, pre-empted by the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Limoges (inv. 2014.8.1 and 2, fig.b and c). They represent, respectively, the Baptism of Saint Martial, Saint Valérie bringing her head to Saint Martial and the death of the Limoges saint. Of particular interest is the British plaque, probably placed at the beginning of the altarpiece and bearing the enameller's signature IOHA / NNES / MF / PENI / CAUD / IUS / IV, which identifies Jean II Pénicaud as the author of this important commission. It is noteworthy that the last of the six plates offered for sale, the one in which God appears to announce the saint's imminent death, uses the same background as the two plates now in the Musée de Limoges, which came from the collection of Baron Gustave de Rothschild (1829-1911). Several plates in the series, the two in the Musée de Limoges and the one from the Bardinet collection, where God appears against the background of the Limousin capital, bear the Pénicaud family hallmark, the crowned PL, which attests to the family's dual activity as goldsmiths and enamel painters. The six Bardinet plates were not completely unknown to art historians, however, as they had already been described in 1855, when they belonged to the Limoges collector, by the Monuments Historiques curator Maurice Ardant. In his book Emailleurs et Emaillerie de Limoges, he mentions a series of plaques depicting the Life of Saint Martial, produced in 1544. He describes the subjects and specifies their provenance: "These paintings, dated 1544, decorated the chapel dedicated to this saint in the ancient and vast church that bore his name". Following the acquisition by the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Limoges of the two Baron Gustave de Rothschild plates at the 2014 Christie's sale, curator Véronique Notin has published a remarkable article taking stock of this altarpiece illustrating the legend of Limoges' patron saint, reputed to have come from the Abbey of Saint-Martial. She publishes a summary table listing 16 plates, numbered from 1 to 16, with details of their location, provenance and presence in an exhibition. Illustrated by an old plate deposited at the museum (fig. d), taken at the end of the 19th or beginning of the 20th century, those in the Bardinet collection (nos. 4 to 9) are mentioned but not located. This is a genuine rediscovery. Unlike the two Rothschild plates, they have not been restored from chemical alterations, notably to the enamels on certain mantles, a condition that was already evident in the mid-19th century. Nevertheless, they bear witness to the quality of the artist Jean II Pénicaud, whether in the treatment of heads and hands, the brilliance of greens and blues, or the richness of his backgrounds, particularly in the view he gives of the city of Limoges, in which we recognize the Abbey of Saint-Martial (fig.e). It will now be possible to respond to Véronique Notin, former curator of the Musée de Limoges, who ended her article by mentioning the possibility of obtaining information on "architectural details of ancient monuments or monuments of ancient inspiration in Limoges, e

Estim. 25 000 - 30 000 EUR

Lot 92 - Polychrome painted enamel plaque with gold highlights depicting the Ecce Homo (John 19: 1-15), salmon counter-enamel. In bust, head crowned with thorns and wrists bound, Christ holds the reed in his right hand; he is clothed in a purple mantle resting on his shoulders and closed by a cabochon, revealing his supplicated body. Limoges, attributed to Colin Nouailher, mid-16th century H. 17 cm - L. 13.2 cm In a wooden frame Old collector's label on the back (slightly missing and small accident in the upper right corner).

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 93 - Polychrome painted enamel plaque with gold highlights featuring Jesus presented to the people, with salmon-colored counter-enamel. In front of an arched doorway, Christ is surrounded by Pilate, two soldiers and two executioners, one pointing at him, the other holding the rope binding his hands and making the obscene "fig" gesture. Limoges, attributed to Léonard II Limosin, late 16th/early 17th century H. 20.6 cm - L. 15.5 cm (well preserved)

Estim. 2 500 - 3 000 EUR

Lot 94 - Two-handled bowl in painted polychrome enamel with gold highlights. Base decorated with the arms of Bishop Guillaume Le Boux argent, a chevron azure, accompanied in chief by two boar's heads erased sable, and in base by a bloodhound's head gules accolated argent; wing decorated with foliate scrolls in relief in reserves; under the foot, landscape with castle and rider; all around, rosettes and dots on a black background and gilded scrolls. Limoges, attributed to Jean-Baptiste Poyllevet, late 17th century H. 4.7 cm - L. 18.3 cm (some restorations, slight enamel chips, notably at the foot and rim) Jean-Baptiste Poillevet or Poyllevet, also known as Jean II Poyllevet, belonged to a family of Limoges enamellers. Practicing in the 1690s, he seems to have produced little. His style is characterized by a generous use of enamel, as shown here by the rinceaux and rosettes in high relief, and by the recurrent use of a cord motif visible under the heel and delimiting the reserves. Guillaume Le Boux, the patron or recipient of this lovely bowl, was the son of a boatman. His life was marked by a remarkable upward social mobility: he began his career as a college sweeper, and went on to become a Capuchin, an Oratorian, a parish priest and then Bishop of Dax from 1659 to 1666. In the same year, he was elevated to the see of Périgueux. It was when he asked for this last dignity that his friends would have said that "Boux was born a beggar, that he had lived a beggar, and that he wanted Périgueux (to die a beggar)". He remained bishop of Périgueux until his death in 1693. It was probably at the end of this episcopate that this bowl was made. Book consulted: - "Boux (Guillaume Le)" Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne, t. V, Paris, Michaud, 1812, p. 412

Estim. 1 000 - 1 500 EUR

Lot 95 - Polylobed dish in polychrome painted enamel and enamel on paillons with gold highlights depicting in the hexagonal background the Virgin and Child accompanied by the inscription MARIA MATER / DEI. Wing decorated with flowers, foliage and birds on a white background; reverse with background depicting a village in a wooded landscape, surrounded by flowers, foliage and birds on a black background. Limoges, attributed to Jacques I Laudin, 17th century H. 4 cm - L. 17.5 cm (small accidents and restorations, edge missing) A very similar bowl bearing the monogram of Jacques I Laudin is in the Musée du Louvre (inv. MR2476).

Estim. 700 - 900 EUR

Lot 96 - Oval mirror on the reverse adorned with a polychrome painted enamel plate with pearls and gold highlights depicting Orpheus charming the animals. In a wooded landscape, the poet is seated on a mound, playing his lyre, surrounded by various animals: a lion, a stag, a horse, a billy goat, a leporid, a dog, a monkey and three birds. Mounted in gilded bronze with a mobile ring. Limoges, attributed to Jean II Limosin, circa 1600 H. at sight 11.5 cm - L. at sight 8.5 cm H. with bélière 12 cm (some restorations, notably to Orpheus' dress, minor crazing) Unlike other mirror backs illustrating the same subject, such as those in the British Museum (inv. 1891,0224.6) or the Musée du Louvre (inv. MR2624), the composition of this scene of Orpheus charming the animals is freely inspired by Bernard Salomon's engraving from Ovid's Metamorphosis figured in 1557 (fig.). Works consulted : - S. Baratte, Les Émaux peints de Limoges, Musée du Louvre, catalog, Paris, 2000, p. 392

Estim. 1 500 - 2 000 EUR

Lot 97 - Ring with oval carnelian intaglio and gold setting. Intaglio depicting a winged Victory, standing in a chariot, holding a whip in her left hand and driving a two-horse carriage with the other; ring adorned with fleurons and pearls. Intaglio: Roman period Mounting: 19th century H. 1.6 cm - Total length 2 cm - Gross weight: 6.0 g The Cabinet des Médailles holds a jasper intaglio dating from the 1st/3rd century, showing Helios standing on his quadriga, with the same stylization in the depiction of horses and chariot (inv. Blanchet. 28, fig.).

Estim. 4 000 - 6 000 EUR

Lot 98 - Ring with oval carnelian intaglio and gold setting. Intaglio depicting a Bacchanal with drunken Bacchus riding a donkey surrounded by small fauns drinking and playing music; smooth ring. Hallmarks with owl and ET in a rectangle. Intaglio: Italy ?, 17th century Setting: 19th century Total height 2.2 cm - Diameter of intaglio 1.8 x 2.7 cm - Gross weight: 9.9 g

Estim. 3 500 - 4 000 EUR

Lot 99 - Ring with green chromiferous chalcedony and finely chased, openwork and enameled gold setting, white, red and black enamel. Square bezel set with a high-relief cameo depicting the head of a chubby child with a neck surrounded by a strawberry; ring with protruding fillet and lateral lugs, rounded bezel base adorned with protruding, ridged X-ribs. Cameo: Roman period, partly altered during the Renaissance Mounting: 16th century, circa 1570/80 H. 2.9 cm - Gross weight: 3.6 g (some missing enamel) Chromiferous chalcedony was widely used for jewelry and seals throughout the Roman Empire, only to see its use disappear after the 2nd century. The origin of this mineral is unclear, for although Pliny the Elder described it as originating in India, no deposits have ever been found there. It seems to have originated in Anatolia, present-day Turkey. This is probably a cameo depicting Eros, a widespread theme in Antiquity, as can be seen in many gem collections. It would have been adapted to Renaissance tastes by re-cutting the neck to form a collar to match the fashion of the time worn by children during the third quarter of the 16th century, as shown by the marble bust of a little girl in the Louvre Museum (inv. RF 1634, fig.a). The same museum also holds a ring with a similar but less refined setting, found in the Seine in 1841 (inv. OA 654, fig.b,b'). Works consulted : - R. Gennaioli, Le gemme dei Medici al Museo degli Argenti, Florence, 2007, pp. 355-357 - P. Vittellozzi, Tesori di una collezione privata intagli, cammei, gioielli, objets de vertu, Pérouges, 2017, cat. 131 and 132, p. 183 and 184

Estim. 20 000 - 30 000 EUR

HAUTE ÉPOQUE AND CURIOSITIES

Giquello - +33147427801 - Email CVV

Lot 9 - Pique-cierge in silver-plated bronze. Shaft with flattened sphere median knot, guilloche rings, tripod molded base with claw feet, cup underlined with fillets. Late 13th century H. 14.8 cm

Lot 11 - Beautifully carved limestone head of a bearded saint. Domed forehead, almond-shaped eyes with hemmed eyelids, prominent cheekbones, half-open mouth with friendly expression revealing the teeth, wavy hair and beard. Île-de-France ? 13th century H. 26.5 cm Soclée (eroded parts)

Lot 12 - All-surface carved marble stoup base decorated with eight seated lions flanking each other in pairs, their mouths facing forward. Italy, 14th century H. 19.5 cm - L. 31.5 cm Terrace (slight erosion)

Lot 15 - Rare profane sign in lead and pewter alloy depicting a knight on horseback, wearing a helmet and holding a shield. Late 14th century H. 4.7 cm - L. 3.3 cm

Lot 19 - Leather-covered wooden case with hinges, hasp lock and engraved wrought-iron top handle; leather with squared and stamped fleur-de-lys decoration. Southern France, 15th century H. 13 cm - W. 36.7 cm - D. 22.8 cm Key (minor accidents and restorations)

Lot 25 - Large longitudinal oak panel, carved in reserve, with a half-reptile, half-fish snake-shaped monster with a curled snout, sticking out its tongue and a scale-covered body edged with curved leaves. 16th century H. 27.5 cm - L. 163.2 cm (slight erosion)

Lot 30 - Embossed copper plaque with remains of gilding, depicting a bust of the Virgin of Sorrows, inscribed in a redentate quatrefoil, the end of the right branch of a processional cross. Northern Italy, early 15th century H. 12.2 cm Pedestal

Lot 32 - Large bronze candlestick, shaft with two ringed balusters and three flattened knots, high binet pierced with rectangular openings, wide rimmed base. Flanders, late 15th century H. 26.5 cm (very slight accidents)

Lot 36 - Champlevé copper plate with traces of gilding and remnants of blue, green, black and red enamels, decorated with a crowned lion and an inscription surrounding a female bust AMO EA MAR[E] on the lower part. 15th century H. 6 cm (small dents)

Lot 37 - Rare two-light brass candlestick. Stem with diamond-shaped cross-section dividing into two V-shaped arms, each fitted with a hexagonal spigot pierced with diamond-shaped lights; high molded base. Germany, 15th century H. 29.4 cm (slight deformation at base)

Lot 40 - Rare small bronze "poison" mortar with spade-head fins and two ringed handles. Hispano-Moorish, XV/XVIth century H. 3.4 cm (wear from use)

Lot 64 - Lead finial. Octagonal and conical in cross-section, it is adorned on each side and on two levels with a mascaron with a grimacing head. 16th century H. 61.5 cm (accidents, missing parts including the top)

Lot 66 - Rondel painted in grisaille and silver yellow depicting the Crucifixion between the Virgin and Saint John against a landscape background. 16th century D. 23 cm (two small chips at the edge)

Lot 73 - Translucent black patina bronze inkwell in the form of a putto seated on a dolphin whose tail supports a shell. Venice, mid-16th century H. 6.2 cm - L. 12 cm

Lot 79 - Rare pewter coffee pot with baluster-shaped body, animal-head spout and circular molded base; three-tower open castle engraved on the lid. circa 1500 H. 16 cm (some restoration to the body and oxidation)

Lot 88 - Circular box in chased and gilded silver. Conical lid and body decorated with cut leather interlacing, groups of fruits and pastilles; seed-shaped handle; hasp lock. Marked on the bottom. Spain, Saragossa, second half of the 16th century H. 7.7 cm - Weight : 140.8 g