A late-17th century 'scherenschnitte' (scissor cuts) pendant – €35,000 (£31,500) at Lempertz in Cologne.
The delicate papercut scene depicts the young John the Baptist in a wooded landscape gesturing towards the Lamb of God with the inscription reading Iste Puer Magnus Coram Domino Nam et Manus Eius Cum Ipso Est 1692.
Preserved in a period gilt bronze and glass frame, it is similar to others in major museum collections attributed to scherenschnitte workshops in south Germany.
Offered by Lempertz in Cologne on November 16, it was part of a group of ‘kunstkammer’ works of art from a private collection in Brussels, many acquired from the Mayfair, London, gallery of German émigré connoisseur and dealer Hermann Baer (1898-1977) that ran from 1936-88.
Estimated at €2500-3500, it did rather better in selling at €35,000 (£31,500).
