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Lot Essay
Tales of William the Conqueror (1027⁄28-1087) imbibing from a silver ship may provide the earliest evidence for the vessels we recognize as nefs. Derived from the old French term for ship, the nef developed in France as a vessel formed as a ship’s hull and scaled for the table. Elaborately decorated, early French nefs served dual purposes-to signify the power and wealth of its owner, and for the storage of his personal dining utensils, including cutlery, spices, linens and drinking cups. As the fear of poisoning was a significant concern, the nef helped to ensure the safety and sanitation of the utensils most likely to come in contact with the mouth. By the early 16th century, the nef had evolved to include a detachable upper portion with a fully outfitted deck supporting a mast and sails. Some nefs, particularly those made in Germany, were supported on operational wheels. Unlike the protective purpose of their French counterparts, the role of German nefs was entirely celebratory, and the vessels were incorporated into drinking games. When the deck and sails are detached, the hull forms a cup, from which the reveler swigs from the ship’s pointed bow.
The majority of German nefs were produced in the southern cities of Augsburg and Nuremberg. Both major goldsmithing centers, these two cities experienced a period of tremendous wealth throughout the Renaissance, largely due to mining and long-distance trade. Augsburg and Nuremberg were also important transshipment points for goods moving throughout Europe. In turn, these cities became information hubs for news and ideas brought by those accompanying the goods. As the sailing ship was the most advanced means of transport, the nobility of Augsburg and Nuremberg embraced seafaring iconography as seen on the present lot. The nef thus became symbolic of its owner’s role in modern trade and thought (F. M. Kammel, ed., Traumschiffe der Renaissance, Munich, 2024, pp. 27-36).
Goldsmith, Esias zur Linden (d. 1632), the maker of the present lot, was one of the top specialist makers of nefs. Linden was trained in Zurich and became a master of the Nuremberg guild in 1609. A survey of Nuremberg silver compiled prior to the publication of Timothy Schroder’s catalogue of the Zilkha collection, records 34 extant works attributed to Linden. The Zilkha nef is not included in the survey and appears to be of larger scale and more elaborately decorated than the recorded examples (Schroder, 2012, p. 130). A smaller nef with rather plain hull by Linden, 1609-1629, in collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé was sold Christie’s, Paris, 25 February 2009, lot 129. A diminutive example on wheels (8 ¼ in high), formerly in the collection of Baron Carl von Rothschild was sold as part of the Hôtel Lambert sale at Sotheby’s, Paris, 12 October 2022, lot 30.
The majority of German nefs were produced in the southern cities of Augsburg and Nuremberg. Both major goldsmithing centers, these two cities experienced a period of tremendous wealth throughout the Renaissance, largely due to mining and long-distance trade. Augsburg and Nuremberg were also important transshipment points for goods moving throughout Europe. In turn, these cities became information hubs for news and ideas brought by those accompanying the goods. As the sailing ship was the most advanced means of transport, the nobility of Augsburg and Nuremberg embraced seafaring iconography as seen on the present lot. The nef thus became symbolic of its owner’s role in modern trade and thought (F. M. Kammel, ed., Traumschiffe der Renaissance, Munich, 2024, pp. 27-36).
Goldsmith, Esias zur Linden (d. 1632), the maker of the present lot, was one of the top specialist makers of nefs. Linden was trained in Zurich and became a master of the Nuremberg guild in 1609. A survey of Nuremberg silver compiled prior to the publication of Timothy Schroder’s catalogue of the Zilkha collection, records 34 extant works attributed to Linden. The Zilkha nef is not included in the survey and appears to be of larger scale and more elaborately decorated than the recorded examples (Schroder, 2012, p. 130). A smaller nef with rather plain hull by Linden, 1609-1629, in collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé was sold Christie’s, Paris, 25 February 2009, lot 129. A diminutive example on wheels (8 ¼ in high), formerly in the collection of Baron Carl von Rothschild was sold as part of the Hôtel Lambert sale at Sotheby’s, Paris, 12 October 2022, lot 30.