A FINE GERMAN ENAMEL BINDING

A FINE GERMAN ENAMEL BINDING, attributed to Georg Strauch, NureMberg, 17th c painted with Christ and the Virgin Mary surrounded by a wreath and bright orange tulips and other flowers, the corners and spine with further flowers, in chased copper gilt mounts with a contemporary edition of Ofsicium B. Mariae vir.g, title in red and black with engraved portrait of the Virgin, marbled endpapers, aeg and gauffered, Antwerp 1665, 7.7 x 11cm The present newly discovered binding, a small but beautiful example of 17th century German enamel work of the highest quality, is here firmly attributed to the Nuremberg miniaturist and enameller Georg Strauch (1613-1675). The distinctive bright colours, combined with the meticulous technique of a miniature painter is enlivened and enhanced by the white ground. Other enamels by Stauch are recorded on the work of both Augsburg and Nuremberg goldsmiths on various objects, such as canisters and several other rare bindings. An example of one of these is in the Musee Condée, Chantilly. It appears undoubtedly to be by the same hand as the present lot. See Schneeberger (P-F) Les Peintres sur Email Genevois au XVIIe et au XVIIIe Siecle, Geneva 1958, pp93-4, fig 13. Another, very similar, slightly larger binding attributed to Strauch, painted with allegorical scenes of Charity and Felicitas with Justice, with a provenance from its ownership by William Boyd Carpenter, Bishop of Ripon (1841-1918) Chaplain to Queen Victoria and subsequently in other distinguished collections including that of Grace Whitney Hoff (1862-1938) was sold Christie's, 3 June 2014, lot 373.