Lot 74: 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.