Esaias zur Linden seems to have specialised almost exclusively in the production of small ships which served as table and buffet decoration. Ship-shaped drinking vessels are used in princely households as early as the 14th century with first written records in France. In Nuremberg the tradition is known from the early 16th century onwards.
The wheels of this nef might indicate that it was rolled from guest to guest at the high table. The spout at the bow suggests it could also be used as a ewer.
Physical description
Nef on wheels, silver, parcel-gilt, with cast and applied silver figures.
Place of Origin
Nuremberg, Germany (made)
Date
1609-1629 (made)
Artist/maker
Esaias zur Linden (made)
Materials and Techniques
silver, parcel-gilt, chased, cast, engraved, embossed
Marks and inscriptions
Mark of Nuremberg town assay office, 'N', punched on side of ship
Maker's mark Esaias zur Linden, punched on side of ship.
Zig-zag assay mark engraved on the side of the ship near town and maker's marks.
Assembly marks in Roman numerals:
'vii' inscribed above the heart-shaped opening to the spout inside the ship.
Beside wheels on front axle: 'xi' and 'xii'.
Beside wheels on back axle: 'x' and 'viiii'.
Dimensions
Height: 39.5 cm maximum height from base of wheels to top of sails, Length: 33.5 cm Maximum length from end of spout to end of ship, Width: 9.5 cm Maximum width across wheels, Weight: 769.1 g entire ship
Object history note
Formerly in the Baron Carl von and Baroness James de Rothschild Collection.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Nürnberger Goldschmiedekunst 1541-1868. 2 vol. Nürnberg (Verlag des Germanischen Nationalmuseums) 2997, vol. 1/I, p. 256-7, mark no. 527/14; vol. 1/II, p. 747, ill. 125 with comparable pieces; vol. 2, pp. 151-2.
Oman, Charles. Medieval Silver Nefs. Victoria and Albert Museum monographs, no. 15. London: HMSO, 1963
Nef illustrated in black and white, fig. 7, where Oman describes it as 'a typical nef of the decadence'.
Koeppe, Wolfram. Die Lemmers-Danforth-Sammlung Wetzlar: europäische Wohnkultur aus Renaissance und Barock. Heidelberg: Braus, 1992. ISBN 389466004X.
See pp. 468-9, and colour picture on p.444. A list of nefs also by Linden provided on p. 468.
Boysson, Bernadette de, Ekkehard Schmidberger and Hans Ottomeyer. Orfèvrerie d'apparat Allemagne XVe - XVIIe siècle. Collections du Hessisches Landesmuseum, Kassel. Transl. Philippe-Henri Ledru and Marguerite Stahl. Bordeaux: Le Festin, 2001. Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Musée Bonnat, Bayonne, 1 Mar.- 6 May 2001; and at the Musée des Arts décoratifs, Bordeaux, 18 May-6 Aug. 2001.
See pp. 54-55 for a very similar nef made Nuremberg, c. 1630, by Han I Clauss.
Tasso, Francesca. [Catalogue entry.] In: Arnaldi di Balme, Clelia and Franca Varallo, eds. Feste Barocche. Cerimonie e spettacoli alla corte dei Savoia tra cinque e settecento. Milan: Silvana editoriale, 2009. Catalogue of the exhibition held Palazzo Madama - Muso Civico d'Arte Antica, Turin, 7 April - 5 July 2009.
Describes a similar wheeled ship in a Milanese collection (Civiche Raccolte d'Arte Applicata del Castello Sforzesco) which is unmarked and where the battling figures and crew have traces of enamel on them. See p. 121 for reference to the V&A nef.
Labels and date
1 NEF
GERMAN (Nuremberg); about 1620
Silver, parcel-gilt
Town mark of Nuremberg
Maker's mark of Esaias Zu Linden
Esaias Zu Linden specialised almost exclusively in the production of these small ships which served as table and buffet decoration. The spout at the bow suggests that this one could be used as a ewer.
Formerly in the Baron Carl von Rothschild and Baroness James de Rothschild collections. Bequeathed by Dr. W.L. Hildburgh, F.S.A.
M.425-1956
[1980-1990]
Materials
Silver; Silver-gilt
Techniques
Chasing
Subjects depicted
Soldiers; Dragon; Venus; Mythology; Ship; Flags; Battle; Mars; Diana (of Poictiers)
Categories
Food vessels & Tableware
Collection code
MET
