A nef is an extravagant table ornament and container used in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, made of precious metals in the shape of a ship – nef was another word for a carrack in French. If not just used for decoration, it could hold salt or spices (the latter being very expensive in the Middle Ages), or cutlery, or even napkins.

The Mechanical Galleon is an elaborate nef or table ornament in the form of a ship, which is also an automaton and clock. It was constructed in about 1585 by Hans Schlottheim in southern Germany. It was in the possession of Augustus, Elector of Saxony (who would have been one of the model courtiers shown on the ship). [1]

Nef, European vessel in the form of a medieval ship, often complete with rigging. Although occasionally made of Venetian glass, nefs were usually elaborately constructed of precious metals and sometimes had a hull of rock crystal, hardstone, or nautilus shell. Perhaps first …

The ship has three masts: the main-mast with crow's-nest, shrouds, stays, and two sails with pennon at the mast-head; the mizen-mast has stays, one sail, and a crow's-nest, behind it a flagstaff with pennon, and another spar projecting over the stern; the foremast has stays and a triangular sail and crow's-nest; foreward of it is a small mast ...

The nef, a table-ornament made in the shape of a ship, with extant examples from museums and depictions in medieval illustrations.

Called nefs in Old French, ceremonial centerpieces in the form of ships were developed in medieval France to mark a lord’s place at the table. In the German-speaking areas of continental Europe, variations doubling as drinking vessels (known as Schiffspokale) experienced a revival in popularity in the early seventeenth century.

The Schluesselfeld Nef, named after its early owners, was made in 1503, or just before. It is an extraordinary survivor: the most elaborate silver ship from this...

The nef is modelled in the form of a two-masted ship with cold-enamelled figures and cannon on deck and other figures climbing the rigging and mainmast. On the poop deck is a group of figures dining at a table inside the tiled roofed cabin, on which sits a monkey.

2018年10月5日 · Ship-shaped containers such as this example were derived from the nef, a metalwork table ornament and container, and were used as a nef or as a water pitcher. Records show that Arminia Vivarini, the daughter of a Venetian painter, was allowed a special patent to produce glass vessels in the form of ships in 1521.

Ship-shaped containers such as this example were derived from the nef, a metalwork table ornament and container, and were used as a nef or as a water pitcher. Records show that Arminia Vivarini, the daughter of a Venetian painter, was allowed a special patent to produce glass vessels in the form of ships in 1521.