Object Description
A sterling silver box decorated with deep embossed birds, large flowers and seed heads. In the early English Charles II style. Weight 287 grams, 9.2 troy ounces. Length 17 cms. Width 11.5 cms. Height 4.5cms. Marked on the edge of the lid and underneath with the typical pseudo marks for Neresheimer, Germany. Also marked with Sheffield import marks for 1895. High grade silver (930).
Biography – B. Neresheimer & Sohne, Hanau, Germany are probably the best well known of the Hanoi silversmith firms operating around the turn of the 19th century. The antique silver industry of Hanau specialised in excellent copies of old master silversmiths’ work, particularly Nuremberg pieces, double lady cups, old goblets, snuff boxes and so on. These copies were marked with fantasy marks, somewhat resembling old marks, which also harmonized with the style of the piece. For example, French rococo style reproductions are marked with French looking marks, German seventeenth century-inspired pieces got German-looking marks, and so on. These marks were usually in a style reminiscent of seventeenth and eighteenth century maker’s marks.