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carved ivory figurine of a woman holding a baby in an open wooden boxan ivory figurine of a woman with a crown on her headcarved ivory figurine of a woman with a hat on her heada close up of a statue of a person wearing a hat
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317 - ***‘Nuremberg Virgin’ or ‘Eiserne Jungfrau’ or ‘Iron Virgin’
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Estimate €2,000 - €3,000
Sale commission
Description
***‘Nuremberg Virgin’ or ‘Eiserne Jungfrau’ or ‘Iron Virgin’ Carved from elephant ivory (Loxodonta africana) A sculpture depicting the ‘Virgin of Nuremberg’, an ancient and notorious instrument of torture. The sculpture, in the round, depicts a vertical sarcophagus, surmounted by a woman’s head wearing a headdress, adorned at the back with a radiating quatrefoil motif and featuring a wide ruff. The headdress reveals her hair, and the woman wears a faint smile. The body, oval in cross-section and slightly tapered towards the top, is smooth but embellished with decorative motifs at the front and carved with folds at the back, imitating a garment. The whole is adorned with a row of small circles topped with a cross. The body opens via two panels, whose metal hinges are complemented by two fleur-de-lis-adorned hinges carved in bas-relief, creating a trompe l’œil effect. Each door leaf is fitted with a handle consisting of a pierced ivory ball, and the edges are outlined with half-dots in relief. The interior reveals a nude woman, sculpted in the round, with her left arm folded across her right shoulder, her right arm resting alongside her body, and in a slight contrapposto pose. She wears a ribbon in her hair, and a lock of hair falls over her right shoulder. The trompe l’œil fleur-de-lis hinges are repeated on the inside, continuing the line of the metal hinges. The inner edge of the panels is outlined with dots. Spikes adorn the sides, fixed into the inner walls. An identical spike serves as a fastening between the two panels. The whole piece rests on a rectangular plinth, the front corners of which are heavily truncated, as are the two rear corners, though to a lesser extent. A decoration of stylised water leaves adorns the middle band of this plinth. The back is lined with felt, formerly green, which is now worn. Germany, late 19th century Dimensions: Total height: 19.2 cm – Base dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 cm – Body width: 5.9 cm SSM Gross total weight: 332.98 grams Condition: eight half-points missing from the edges of the panels. Several prongs are blunt or damaged. Amber patina over the entire exterior of the piece. The closing prong is glued in place. Related works: numerous German engravings dating from the late 19th century depict ‘Iron Maidens’ or these ‘Nuremberg Virgins’, with very similar iconography. CITES declaration no. FR2501900008-K submitted (species: Elephantidae spp.)
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About the sale CONTENTS OF A ROMAN FLAT & MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS – FURNITURE AND WORKS OF ART – ART NOUVEAU – ART DÉCO
Auction location
Auction time 09/26/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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