Collection Memento Mori Skulls
A. A South German Carved and Polychromed Lime-wood ‘Memento Mori’ Skull with Curling Snake Probably from an Altarpiece
Late 17th – Early 18th Century
Size: 18cm high, 14cm wide, 13.5cm deep - 7 ins high, 5½ ins wide, 5¼ ins deep / 30cm high - 11¾ ins high (with base)
SOLD
B. A South German Carved ‘Memento Mori’ Pear-wood Skull with Prominent Teeth Probably from a Devotional Crucifix
Late 17th – Early 18th Century
Size: 5cm high, 4.5cm wide, 5cm deep - 2 ins high, 1¾ ins wide, 2 ins deep
SOLD
C. A German Carved and Polychromed Lime-wood Small ‘Memento Mori’ Skull
18th Century
Size: 3.5cm high, 3.5cm wide, 4cm deep - 1¼ high, 1¼ ins wide, 1½ ins deep
D. A German Carved Boxwood ‘Memento Mori’ Skull Probably from a Devotional Crucifix
Late 17th Century
Size: 4cm high, 3cm wide, 4cm deep - 1½ ins high, 1 ins wide, 1½ ins deep
SOLD
E. An Unusual South German Carved Boxwood Rosary Bead Depicting a Skull with a Deformed Nose
17th Century
Size: 2.5cm high, 3cm wide, 3.5cm deep - 1 ins high, 1 ins wide, 1¼ ins deep
F. A German ‘Memento Mori’ Carved Ivory Rosary Bead Depicting an Over-Large Skull
Mid 17th Century
Size: 3cm high, 3.5cm wide, 3.5cm deep - 1 ins high, 1¼ ins wide, 1¼ ins deep
SOLD
G. An English Finely Carved Anatomical Model of a Human Skull a ‘Vanitas’
18th Century
Size: 4.5cm high, 4cm wide, 3.5cm deep - 1¾ ins high, 1½ ins wide, 1¼ ins deep
SOLD
H. A German Miniature Carved Ivory ‘Memento Mori’ Skull
Late 17th – Early 18th Century
Size: 1.2cm high, 1.5cm wide, 2cm deep - ½ high, ½ ins wide, ¾ ins deep
SOLD
I. A Collection of Three ‘Memento Mori’ Skulls: A Spanish Small Carved Bone Janus Head Rosary Bead Depicting Christ and to the Reverse a Skull
A German Carved Ivory Miniature Rosary Bead in Form of a Skull
A German Carved Ivory ‘Memento Mori’ Skull
18th Century
Sizes: 1.5cm high - ½ ins high (each)
SOLD
Late 17th – Early 18th Century
Size: 18cm high, 14cm wide, 13.5cm deep - 7 ins high, 5½ ins wide, 5¼ ins deep / 30cm high - 11¾ ins high (with base)
SOLD
B. A South German Carved ‘Memento Mori’ Pear-wood Skull with Prominent Teeth Probably from a Devotional Crucifix
Late 17th – Early 18th Century
Size: 5cm high, 4.5cm wide, 5cm deep - 2 ins high, 1¾ ins wide, 2 ins deep
SOLD
C. A German Carved and Polychromed Lime-wood Small ‘Memento Mori’ Skull
18th Century
Size: 3.5cm high, 3.5cm wide, 4cm deep - 1¼ high, 1¼ ins wide, 1½ ins deep
D. A German Carved Boxwood ‘Memento Mori’ Skull Probably from a Devotional Crucifix
Late 17th Century
Size: 4cm high, 3cm wide, 4cm deep - 1½ ins high, 1 ins wide, 1½ ins deep
SOLD
E. An Unusual South German Carved Boxwood Rosary Bead Depicting a Skull with a Deformed Nose
17th Century
Size: 2.5cm high, 3cm wide, 3.5cm deep - 1 ins high, 1 ins wide, 1¼ ins deep
F. A German ‘Memento Mori’ Carved Ivory Rosary Bead Depicting an Over-Large Skull
Mid 17th Century
Size: 3cm high, 3.5cm wide, 3.5cm deep - 1 ins high, 1¼ ins wide, 1¼ ins deep
SOLD
G. An English Finely Carved Anatomical Model of a Human Skull a ‘Vanitas’
18th Century
Size: 4.5cm high, 4cm wide, 3.5cm deep - 1¾ ins high, 1½ ins wide, 1¼ ins deep
SOLD
H. A German Miniature Carved Ivory ‘Memento Mori’ Skull
Late 17th – Early 18th Century
Size: 1.2cm high, 1.5cm wide, 2cm deep - ½ high, ½ ins wide, ¾ ins deep
SOLD
I. A Collection of Three ‘Memento Mori’ Skulls: A Spanish Small Carved Bone Janus Head Rosary Bead Depicting Christ and to the Reverse a Skull
A German Carved Ivory Miniature Rosary Bead in Form of a Skull
A German Carved Ivory ‘Memento Mori’ Skull
18th Century
Sizes: 1.5cm high - ½ ins high (each)
SOLD
Death, for most people before the 19th century, was a major preoccupation. Life expectancy was under 40 and the Catholic church taught that after dying the soul faced a terrifying and uncertain onward journey. Images of skulls were a reminder of your own mortality, a reminder to live a good and pious life, to pray for your soul in eternity. A ‘memento mori’ that death comes for us all. As the Latin inscription on Archbishop Chicele’s tomb states, ‘Now I am cast down: and turned into food for worms’.
Ex English Private collection
Collection Memento Mori Skulls
SOLD
