St. Christopher holding the Christ Child

a single leaf, 138 mm. by 93 mm., miniature 129 mm. by 83 mm., showing the saint standing with his bare feet in a shallow trickle of green water, his left arm around the Christ Child who holds a book and pats the head of Saint Christopher, the saint's right hand grasping the stem of one of two trees growing on either side of the water, all painted in delicate colours on a burnished gold ground within a frame of faceted red split at the top and rising to a gothic ogee arched point, verso ruled for 28 lines but otherwise blank, slight tape stains on verso, in nineteenth-century wooden frame with scrolling acanthus leaves painted on in liquid gold

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A miniature of extremely high quality and delicacy of technique.  The faces resemble those of as Psalter now in Nuremberg, from Engelberg Abbey in northern Switzerland (cf. H. Swarzenski, Die Lateinischen Illuminierten Handschriften des XIII. Jahrhunderts, 1936, pp. 125-6, and figs. 529-30); the oversized trefoils on the trees occur in other manuscripts from the region of Lake Constance (ibid, figs. 608-10; and W. Voelkle and R. Wieck, The Bernard H. Breslauer Collection of Manuscript Illuminations, 1992, pp. 128-9, no. 38).  Saint Christopher was patron saint of travellers.