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拍品专文
DUTCH MOUNTED NAUTILUS CUPS
Silver-mounted nautilus shells were popular in Europe from at least the thirteenth century, although there is evidence that nautilus shells arrived in Europe as early as the 9th century, as shown by church treasury records (H. Mette, Der Nautiluspokal, Munich, 1995, p. 33). The nautilus shells were brought over through the Asian and Middle-Eastern trade networks, arriving in Europe in larger volumes once European traders reached the Spice Islands. The establishment of the Dutch East India Company, or VOC, in 1602, and its subsequent monopoly on the Spice Islands trade, gave them by default a monopoly over the import of nautilus shells. From then on, the shells were almost exclusively imported through Amsterdam and sold on through Dutch traders. However, the first known Dutch silver-mounted nautilus cups in Delft seem to date from the 1590s (when hallmarks started to be recorded in Delft), although one appears to date to circa 1577, with a maker’s mark featuring a buckle, in the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection (Treasures from the Thyssen-Bornemisza family Collection, Exhibition Museo Nacional, Madrid, 12 April 2021-23 January 2022, inv. DEC0767).
Hanns-Ulrich Mette’s catalogue of 313 nautilus shells, illustrates that Dutch shells were nearly all mounted in the form of a goblet with a flaring engraved rim facing upwards. Many are also characterized by a monster’s head, with its open jaws fashioned around the inner curl of the nautilus shell, vertical straps cast with grotesques and, on either side, a rosette and bolt to fasten the mounts together, such as on the present lot. Unlike German nautilus cups, the shell is celebrated, with the mounts serving as a frame to present the exotic material rather than the shell being an accessory to the silver work.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DELFT AS AN IMPORTANT GOLDSMITHING CENTER: 1590-1607
Delft was a relatively small goldsmithing center compared to nearby The Hague or Rotterdam with, on average, 25 active masters at any given time. From 1536 the Memoriaelboeck I of the guild registered 316 masters, while the Hague counted during the same period between 800 and 850.
Following the Dutch Revolt (1568-1648), many Antwerp goldsmiths took refuge in Delft, bringing with them not only their skills but also new styles, invigorating the Delft goldsmiths' trade. At the same time William the Silent, Prince of Orange fled The Hague, now unsafe during the Eighty Years War with Spain, and held court in the Prinsenhof in Delft from 1578 to 1582. The accompanying courtiers and administrators from the Court of Holland created a new clientele for the Delft goldsmiths. This period of great economic prosperity was also boosted by the Delft Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, as well as the beer brewery and cloth industries, even if the competition from the larger centers such as Rotterdam and The Hague was still fierce.
Nonetheless, the Delft goldsmiths developed their own style, embracing the influence of Antwerp and acquired a reputation for high quality objects which eventually attracted an international clientele. This demand for Delft silver led to the establishment of important families of goldsmiths who continued working for generations, such as the Heij, Vosmaer, Mes, Brugman, De Grebber, De Man, Brandt, Van Renssen, Van Dijk, Van den Ende and the Van der Burch families, of which Cornelis Jansz Van der Burch was the founding member.
SIX RECORDED DELFT NAUTILUS CUPS
This important period in Delft silver, from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 17th century, saw the creation of a number of spectacular nautilus cups with the previously discussed monster mask motif. In addition to the present lot, five other examples are still known:
- One with date-letter R for 1585 by Jan Jorisz Van der Burch.
- One dated circa 1590 with illegible maker’s mark, possibly by Jasper Mes, now in Oudenaarde Town Hall, Oudenaarde, Belgium, previously in the collection De Boever-Alligorides.
- One dated 1592 attributed to Nicolaes de Grebber in the collection of the Museum Het Prinsenhof, Delft, which is arguably the most well known example as it is featured in a famous still life known as The Paston Treasure, in the collection of the Castle Museum, Norwich (acc. no. NWHCM : 1947.170).
- One dated 1595 attributed to Jasper Mes in the Schroder Collection, London.
- One dated 1600 also by Cornelis Jansz Van der Burch.
Christie's would like to thank Dr Pieter Biesboer for his help with this lot.
Silver-mounted nautilus shells were popular in Europe from at least the thirteenth century, although there is evidence that nautilus shells arrived in Europe as early as the 9th century, as shown by church treasury records (H. Mette, Der Nautiluspokal, Munich, 1995, p. 33). The nautilus shells were brought over through the Asian and Middle-Eastern trade networks, arriving in Europe in larger volumes once European traders reached the Spice Islands. The establishment of the Dutch East India Company, or VOC, in 1602, and its subsequent monopoly on the Spice Islands trade, gave them by default a monopoly over the import of nautilus shells. From then on, the shells were almost exclusively imported through Amsterdam and sold on through Dutch traders. However, the first known Dutch silver-mounted nautilus cups in Delft seem to date from the 1590s (when hallmarks started to be recorded in Delft), although one appears to date to circa 1577, with a maker’s mark featuring a buckle, in the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection (Treasures from the Thyssen-Bornemisza family Collection, Exhibition Museo Nacional, Madrid, 12 April 2021-23 January 2022, inv. DEC0767).
Hanns-Ulrich Mette’s catalogue of 313 nautilus shells, illustrates that Dutch shells were nearly all mounted in the form of a goblet with a flaring engraved rim facing upwards. Many are also characterized by a monster’s head, with its open jaws fashioned around the inner curl of the nautilus shell, vertical straps cast with grotesques and, on either side, a rosette and bolt to fasten the mounts together, such as on the present lot. Unlike German nautilus cups, the shell is celebrated, with the mounts serving as a frame to present the exotic material rather than the shell being an accessory to the silver work.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DELFT AS AN IMPORTANT GOLDSMITHING CENTER: 1590-1607
Delft was a relatively small goldsmithing center compared to nearby The Hague or Rotterdam with, on average, 25 active masters at any given time. From 1536 the Memoriaelboeck I of the guild registered 316 masters, while the Hague counted during the same period between 800 and 850.
Following the Dutch Revolt (1568-1648), many Antwerp goldsmiths took refuge in Delft, bringing with them not only their skills but also new styles, invigorating the Delft goldsmiths' trade. At the same time William the Silent, Prince of Orange fled The Hague, now unsafe during the Eighty Years War with Spain, and held court in the Prinsenhof in Delft from 1578 to 1582. The accompanying courtiers and administrators from the Court of Holland created a new clientele for the Delft goldsmiths. This period of great economic prosperity was also boosted by the Delft Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, as well as the beer brewery and cloth industries, even if the competition from the larger centers such as Rotterdam and The Hague was still fierce.
Nonetheless, the Delft goldsmiths developed their own style, embracing the influence of Antwerp and acquired a reputation for high quality objects which eventually attracted an international clientele. This demand for Delft silver led to the establishment of important families of goldsmiths who continued working for generations, such as the Heij, Vosmaer, Mes, Brugman, De Grebber, De Man, Brandt, Van Renssen, Van Dijk, Van den Ende and the Van der Burch families, of which Cornelis Jansz Van der Burch was the founding member.
SIX RECORDED DELFT NAUTILUS CUPS
This important period in Delft silver, from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 17th century, saw the creation of a number of spectacular nautilus cups with the previously discussed monster mask motif. In addition to the present lot, five other examples are still known:
- One with date-letter R for 1585 by Jan Jorisz Van der Burch.
- One dated circa 1590 with illegible maker’s mark, possibly by Jasper Mes, now in Oudenaarde Town Hall, Oudenaarde, Belgium, previously in the collection De Boever-Alligorides.
- One dated 1592 attributed to Nicolaes de Grebber in the collection of the Museum Het Prinsenhof, Delft, which is arguably the most well known example as it is featured in a famous still life known as The Paston Treasure, in the collection of the Castle Museum, Norwich (acc. no. NWHCM : 1947.170).
- One dated 1595 attributed to Jasper Mes in the Schroder Collection, London.
- One dated 1600 also by Cornelis Jansz Van der Burch.
Christie's would like to thank Dr Pieter Biesboer for his help with this lot.