An Episcopal Crozier: the Lower Plate (B. 138; G. 450; L. 587; Holl. 587 B)

Details

Israhel van Meckenem
An Episcopal Crozier: the Lower Plate (B. 138; G. 450; L. 587; Holl. 587 B)
engraving, circa 1500, a fine impression of the lower half of this extremely rare print, an altogether earlier and superior impression than the complete example in the British Museum, on laid paper with a Crowned Fleur-de-Lys watermark (cf. Lehrs 18 and very similar to Piccard 597, Neustadt and Worms 1495; the same watermark is found on the impressions in Basel and Brussels), the sheet reduced at the lower sheet edge by approximately 78 mm. to just below the ring on the staff, trimmed to the subject above and inside the platemark left and right but well away from the subject, with some subtle touches of pen and ink in places, with remnants of a pen and ink monogram 'AD' on the base to the left of the Virgin, with several horizontal central folds mainly visible verso, with an associated small backed patch, generally in very good condition
S. 331 x 117 mm.

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Lot Essay

Lehrs records a total of only 11 impressions or fragments of impressions of this engraving, the largest Meckenem ever attempted. Complete impressions from both plates are listed in Cambridge and London, and two in Paris, including one with complete margins formerly in the Angiolini Collection (Gutekunst, Stuttgart, 1895 for 13,800 Mark to Rothschild). All other examples are either trimmed, silhouetted or otherwise fragmented. It is very rare even to find a substantial part of the lower plate, such as the present example.

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