A superb sterling silver galleon ship, known as a Nef, intricately modelled with 2 tall masts having multi section sails and long boom, manned crows nests, flags and rigging. Each mast has a man climbing up a tall ladder. On the upper deck the helmsman is steering the ship while the other sailors carry out their duties. A central staircase connects the two decks. Around the edge is a decorative pierced gallery and below this, the port holes with their cannons ready for battle.
The top section of the Neff can be removed from the hull. The hull of the ship is realistically engraved with timber effect planks and graining; the interior is gilded, the rudder is in the form of a dolphin, the anchor is attached by a chain. The ship has 10 cannons and stands on four decorative wheels.
Excellent large size and weight. Weight 3350 grams, 107 troy ounces. Height 67 cms. Spread 62 cms. The nef has multiple silver stamps including London import marks, on the bottom edge of the top section and the body of the hull, for 1913. Importer Berthold Muller.
Provenance: Formerly the property of Geoffrey Annesley Harmsworth, 3rd Baronet, born 1904, died 1980. Educated at Harrow School, he became a war correspondent during World War 2 and later squadron leader in the RAF. Lived in London at 8 Stretton Street, became a director of the Daily Mail, Chairman of Harmsworth Press and Field Magazine.
Literature: A neff (originally spelt nef) is an ornamental model ship made specially for the dinner table. They are usually quite elaborate with masts, sails, rigging and various figures on board. Early examples (13th-16th century) were drinking cups or receptacles for dining implements. Nefs originated from the continent and were used in France, Germany, Spain and Italy but most nefs found today were made in Germany at the end of the 19th century.
Traditionally the dining table nef was made in two sections and the top half was removable so that the hollow hull could be used to contain the spoon, knife, napkin, spices of the host. When the use of great dining halls waned, the hull was fashioned to hold wine, sweetmeats or a variety of special condiments.
Biography
Berthold Muller
Berthold Mueller was an import firm, who distributed a lot of Neresheimer silver. The firm changed its name in 1915 to Berthold Muller and was listed as wholesale silversmiths and jewellers, antique reproduction in silver, ivories, miniatures, enamels, and so forth.
B. Neresheimer & Sohne, Hanau, Germany offered a wide range of highly decorative objects like nefs, tankards, coconut and nautilus cups, and other sumptuous sideboard pieces. Hanau silver was largely imported in UK between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
Condition
The ship is in very good condition with no damage. The interior gilding is bright. There are English silver import marks stamped on the on the bottom edge of the top section and the body of the hull. There are German silver marks on the sales and some of the other smaller pieces.
A superb sterling silver galleon ship, known as a Nef, intricately modelled with 2 tall masts having multi section sails and long boom, manned crows nests, flags and rigging. Each mast has a man climbing up a tall ladder. On the upper deck the helmsman is steering the ship while the other sailors carry out their duties. A central staircase connects the two decks. Around the edge is a decorative pierced gallery and below this, the port holes with their cannons ready for battle.
The top section of the Neff can be removed from the hull. The hull of the ship is realistically engraved with timber effect planks and graining; the interior is gilded, the rudder is in the form of a dolphin, the anchor is attached by a chain. The ship has 10 cannons and stands on four decorative wheels.
Excellent large size and weight. Weight 3350 grams, 107 troy ounces. Height 67 cms. Spread 62 cms. The nef has multiple silver stamps including London import marks, on the bottom edge of the top section and the body of the hull, for 1913. Importer Berthold Muller.
Provenance: Formerly the property of Geoffrey Annesley Harmsworth, 3rd Baronet, born 1904, died 1980. Educated at Harrow School, he became a war correspondent during World War 2 and later squadron leader in the RAF. Lived in London at 8 Stretton Street, became a director of the Daily Mail, Chairman of Harmsworth Press and Field Magazine.
Literature: A neff (originally spelt nef) is an ornamental model ship made specially for the dinner table. They are usually quite elaborate with masts, sails, rigging and various figures on board. Early examples (13th-16th century) were drinking cups or receptacles for dining implements. Nefs originated from the continent and were used in France, Germany, Spain and Italy but most nefs found today were made in Germany at the end of the 19th century.
Traditionally the dining table nef was made in two sections and the top half was removable so that the hollow hull could be used to contain the spoon, knife, napkin, spices of the host. When the use of great dining halls waned, the hull was fashioned to hold wine, sweetmeats or a variety of special condiments.
The ship is in very good condition with no damage. The interior gilding is bright. There are English silver import marks stamped on the on the bottom edge of the top section and the body of the hull. There are German silver marks on the sales and some of the other smaller pieces.
Berthold Mueller was an import firm, who distributed a lot of Neresheimer silver. The firm changed its name in 1915 to Berthold Muller and was listed as wholesale silversmiths and jewellers, antique reproduction in silver, ivories, miniatures, enamels, and so forth.
B. Neresheimer & Sohne, Hanau, Germany offered a wide range of highly decorative objects like nefs, tankards, coconut and nautilus cups, and other sumptuous sideboard pieces. Hanau silver was largely imported in UK between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
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“waxantiques” is a family business run by husband and wife team Lou and Ann Wax.
Our shared interest in antiques led us to change career and start dealing in general antiques shortly after we married. We spent many happy years selling at the world famous Bermondsey antiques market and at the larger UK fairs. As the years progressed our interest became more focused on antique silverware and its domestic history and twenty five years ago we moved on to Camden Passage to open our specialist silver store “waxantiques”.
In 2018 we finally made our move to the London Silver Vaults.
Our website www.waxantiques.com launched in 2011 now accounts for a substantial and growing proportion of the business to the extent where Ann needs to concentrate on maintaining our online presence, while Lou is responsible for the day to day running of the shop and customer liaison.
We are fortunate indeed to have a career which allows us to handle such lovely items, many of which would not be out of place in a museum environment. Perhaps best of all is that it keeps us in contact with customers from all over the world, many of whom we count as good friends as well as colleagues.