North Netherlandish, first quarter 16th century

the interior inscribed: PRONTER PECCATA POPVLI PERGVSSVS EST INNOCENS (For the sins of the people the innocent man was struck) and: PVLCHRA ES ELECTA MEA VT SOL LVGENS (O my chosen one, thou art beautiful in mourning, as the sun)
the exterior inscribed: OMNIA BENE FESIT MERGI SEPTIM (Any good deed pays seven times) and: OMNIA DAT DOMINVS NON HABET ERGOMINV (Anything God gave he didn't do for his own sake)

private collection, Israel

Overall the condition of the wood is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The interior scene from the lid is lost. There are a few losses: to the lid clasp; to the outer edge of the lid on the left; and one section of the tracery in the lid is lost. There are a few smaller chips/ losses, including to some of the mouldings, such as to the edge of the lower section of the orb under the hinge, and to the edges around the remaining inner scene. There are glue residues to the interior of the lid and some fragments of paper. There are a few tracing lines to both poles of the orb; each pole has a small pinhole. There are small holes in either end of the hinge. There are a few white marks to the outside of the orb. There is some very minor splitting consistent with material.
"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."

Prayer nuts were originally designed to be worn on a rosary or belt as portable devotional imagery. The openwork on the outside is not only decorative, but also served to keep the object light in weight. A fragrant substance could have been inserted behind the reliefs so that the prayer nut doubled as a pomander. However, it has been suggested by Scholten that the current type of early 16th-century prayer nuts was reduced to such a small scale that it became impractical to use (op.cit., Bulletin, pp. 337-339). Nowadays Netherlandish boxwood prayer nuts are found in the world's leading museums, including good examples in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. nos. 17.190.473, 474a and 475), the Louvre (OA 5609), the Rijksmuseum (BK 1981-1 and 2010-16) and the Art Gallery of Ontario (see J. Lowden and J. Cherry, op.cit., nos. 49 and 50). The architecture of the present nut and lettering compares closely to a nut with St. Christopher formerly in the Spitzer collection (op.cit., no. 15).

RELATED LITERATURE
E. Molinier, La Collection Spitzer. Antiquité, Moyen Age, Renaissance, Paris/ London, 1890-1892, vol. III, p. 258, no. 15; P. Williamson, Netherlandish sculpture 1450-1550, cat. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2002, pp. 107, 140-149; J. Lowden and J. Cherry, Medieval ivories and works of art, cat. Thomson Collection/ Art Gallery of Ontario, London, pp. 138-143. nos. 48-51; F. Scholten, 'A prayer-nut for François Du Puy', The Burlington Magazine, July, 2011, pp. 447-451; F. Scholten, 'A prayer nut in a silver housing by 'Adam Dirckz'', The Rijksmuseum Bulletin, 59, 2011, pp. 323-347