Pentecost, historiated initial cut from an illuminated manuscript Gradual on vellum

a cutting, 102 mm. by 93 mm., a large initial 'S' in leafy design in pink and red enclosing the Virgin and the apostles seated in prayer as the Holy Dove hovers above against a dark blue sky, all on a burnished and tooled gold ground within a green frame border, verso with parts of two lines of music on a 5-line red stave and one word of text, traces of old mounting with printing in German, cut to shape, mounted

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."

The style is very close to that of a cutting from a Missal in the Rosenwald Collection in Washington, ascribed to lower Austria or southern Bohemia, c.1430 (C. Nordenfalk, Medieval and Renaissance Miniatures from the National Gallery of Art, 1975, pp. 168-70, no. 45), and to the Psalter of Hanuš of Kolovrat, probably Prague, dated 1438 (K. Stejskal and P. Voit, Iluminované rukopisy doby husitské, 1991, pp. 60-61, no. 45, esp. pl. 73).   The cutting was doubtless from the introit for Mass at Whitsun, "Spiritus domini replevit ..."; the text on the verso is probably from the offertory at Mass on the eve of Pentecost, "... [renovabis faciem] terre ...".