German School, late 16th century- Portrait of Christoff zum Lamm, half-length, with stiff white collar and black coat, aged 39 years; oil on canvas, inscribed and dated 1599, bears inscribed label to the reverse of the stretcher, 63.5x46.5cm Provenance: Lots 8-15 are all from the same UK private collection. Note: The zum Lamm family are known to have been a noble family living in Speyer, Germany, during the 15th and 16th centuries. Christoff zum Lamm born c. 1560 was the father of Katharina zum Lamm, buried in Thadden Chapel, Heidelberg-Wieblingen, Germany. Records state that Christoff worked for the Reichskammergericht in Speyer (the Imperial Supreme Court of Justice), the highest court of the German Empire of the period. Katharina's grandfather, Markus, born c. 1531, and great uncle Dr. Heironymus zum Lamm, had also worked for the Reichskammergericht in Speyer with their professions being lawyers and counsellors to the court. In a late 19th/early 20th century ebonised frame with gilded ripple moulded sight edge. The frame with splits to the top and lower left corners, some damage to the top right corner, and some wear and tear to the edges. The canvas has been relined, circa mid-20th century. The canvas is loose within the frame. The salvage is trimmed slightly proud of the back of the tacking edge, is fraying in places and somewhat stiff and ruckled generally. The wooden stretcher is a mid 20th century replacement. The reverse of the stretcher bears two applied gummed labels, one inscribed in brown pen. The paint surface has been lightly cleaned at some point in time. The canvas subject to very faint bar marks and fine flattened old craquelure. Under inspection with UV lamp there is only one small spot of retouching above the lettering top left. There is a layer of varnish present over the paint surface. Overall in very good condition.