ANTIQUE 20thC GERMAN SOLID SILVER PAIR OF KNIGHT FIGURES, HANAU c.1900
Antique early-20th Century pair of exceptionally large and fine German solid silver figures, each modelled as a knight in full suits of armour, carved face beneath a hinged visor, one sporting a sword and the other a spiked axe, both holding a shield applied and chased with armorials.
The two statues stand on a large pedestal base with acanthus leaf boarders and realistically modelled ground. The knights are inspired by the Emperor Maximilian I's monument in the Hofkirche, Innsbruck, one of the most important series of life-size bronze statues of the 16th century. These particular pair are modelled after the statues of King Arthur of Britain and Theoderic the Great, King of the Ostrogoths, both statues designed by the great artist Albrecht Durer.
Hallmarked with German Hanau silver pseudo marks (900+ standard), Maker's mark "n" for the firm Neresheimer & Co. Neresheimer & Sohne is undoubtedly the most famous of the Hanau silversmiths working at the end of the 19th century.
Reference Number: A10689
Antique early-20th Century pair of exceptionally large and fine German solid silver figures, each modelled as a knight in full suits of armour, carved face beneath a hinged visor, one sporting a sword and the other a spiked axe, both holding a shield applied and chased with armorials.
The two statues stand on a large pedestal base with acanthus leaf boarders and realistically modelled ground. The knights are inspired by the Emperor Maximilian I's monument in the Hofkirche, Innsbruck, one of the most important series of life-size bronze statues of the 16th century. These particular pair are modelled after the statues of King Arthur of Britain and Theoderic the Great, King of the Ostrogoths, both statues designed by the great artist Albrecht Durer.
Hallmarked with German Hanau silver pseudo marks (900+ standard), Maker's mark "n" for the firm Neresheimer & Co. Neresheimer & Sohne is undoubtedly the most famous of the Hanau silversmiths working at the end of the 19th century.
Reference Number: A10689
Antique early-20th Century pair of exceptionally large and fine German solid silver figures, each modelled as a knight in full suits of armour, carved face beneath a hinged visor, one sporting a sword and the other a spiked axe, both holding a shield applied and chased with armorials.
The two statues stand on a large pedestal base with acanthus leaf boarders and realistically modelled ground. The knights are inspired by the Emperor Maximilian I's monument in the Hofkirche, Innsbruck, one of the most important series of life-size bronze statues of the 16th century. These particular pair are modelled after the statues of King Arthur of Britain and Theoderic the Great, King of the Ostrogoths, both statues designed by the great artist Albrecht Durer.
Hallmarked with German Hanau silver pseudo marks (900+ standard), Maker's mark "n" for the firm Neresheimer & Co. Neresheimer & Sohne is undoubtedly the most famous of the Hanau silversmiths working at the end of the 19th century.
Reference Number: A10689
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
At the end of the 19th century in fact, the city of Hanau, not far from Frankfurt in Germany, became famous for its silver industry tradition: Hanau manufacturers specialised in fine copies from the antique, in the most popular historical styles, generally marked with pseudo-hallmarks in the manner they were trying to imitate. Unlike the traditional hallmarks, pseudo hallmarks are not officially registered and the only way to identify Hanau artworks is by comparison with marked pieces.
The company was founded in 1890 by August and Ludwig Neresheimer. Thanks to the incredible quality of its objects, of the precision and care used to make extraordinary copies from the antique the brand rose to a quick popularity and became soon direct competitor of Schleissner, considered the forefather of the Hanau silver.
CONDITION
In Great Condition - Wear expected with age. Please refer to photographs.
SIZE
Height: 37 cm // 14.57 inches
Width: 13.5 cm // 5.31 inches
Total Weight: 2415 g // 77.64 ozt