German carved Vanitas, Early 17th century. Ivory, H 4.5 x W 4.5 x D 7 cm. Price: € 44,500. FINCH & CO at BRAFA 2021.

A salamander and snake crawling through the partly decomposed skull with scraps of skin dangling from the face, the exposed muscles partly decomposed.

Provenance: former private European collection; former private collection of the late Robert Noortman (1946-2007); sale Sotheby's Amsterdam, 2007; former collection Finch & Co, 2008; private collection, London, 2008-2020.