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Lot Essay
Omar Ramsden (1873-1939), the most successful silversmith of the English Arts & Crafts movement, created only three nefs in his prolific 40-year career. Considered the most important of his secular commissions, these spectacular objects took their inspiration from silver ship models used in medieval times as symbols of rank at the banqueting table.
Ramsden's Workshop Books, now in the library of Goldsmiths' Hall, indicate that the first nef was commissioned by Henry Ford in 1922, requiring over 1,100 hours of labor. Ramsden made the second nef for presentation by British merchants to Sir Percy Cox, diplomat in the Middle East, in 1923. Both these nefs survive and have been well published in recent years. Ford's nef sold Christie's, New York, 20 April 2005, lot 36 and Cox's nef sold Christie's, London, 20 April 2005, lot 36.
The last and 'lost' Ramsden nef, recently discovered, was commissioned by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (later British Petroleum) in 1928 and presented to James A. Jameson, a valued employee of the firm in 1929. The nef appears in Ramsden's Workshop book as Order 2862 priced at GBP315-0-0. Ramsden completed additional orders for the Anglo-Persian Oil Co. from 1927-32 including a miniature nef, two caskets, an "Argentine" dish and a mazer which was sold to James Jameson.
The extraordinary workmanship of this nef was recognized at the time. Silversmith Leslie Durbin had seen it during his apprenticeship to Ramsden, writing that he was "staggered by the way in which the sails were chased-they were really works of art in themselves."
Glasgow-born James Alexander Jameson went to Persia in 1909, as an assistant engineer for the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. He remained there for eighteen years, becoming general manager of fields and refineries. In 1927 he returned to London as general manager of the Anglo-Iranian Production Department. He was awarded a CBE for his many contributions to the field of petroleum exploration and production; he was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour upon the opening of the Iraq pipeline in 1935 and became a director of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Limited in 1939.
Ramsden's Workshop Books, now in the library of Goldsmiths' Hall, indicate that the first nef was commissioned by Henry Ford in 1922, requiring over 1,100 hours of labor. Ramsden made the second nef for presentation by British merchants to Sir Percy Cox, diplomat in the Middle East, in 1923. Both these nefs survive and have been well published in recent years. Ford's nef sold Christie's, New York, 20 April 2005, lot 36 and Cox's nef sold Christie's, London, 20 April 2005, lot 36.
The last and 'lost' Ramsden nef, recently discovered, was commissioned by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (later British Petroleum) in 1928 and presented to James A. Jameson, a valued employee of the firm in 1929. The nef appears in Ramsden's Workshop book as Order 2862 priced at GBP315-0-0. Ramsden completed additional orders for the Anglo-Persian Oil Co. from 1927-32 including a miniature nef, two caskets, an "Argentine" dish and a mazer which was sold to James Jameson.
The extraordinary workmanship of this nef was recognized at the time. Silversmith Leslie Durbin had seen it during his apprenticeship to Ramsden, writing that he was "staggered by the way in which the sails were chased-they were really works of art in themselves."
Glasgow-born James Alexander Jameson went to Persia in 1909, as an assistant engineer for the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. He remained there for eighteen years, becoming general manager of fields and refineries. In 1927 he returned to London as general manager of the Anglo-Iranian Production Department. He was awarded a CBE for his many contributions to the field of petroleum exploration and production; he was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour upon the opening of the Iraq pipeline in 1935 and became a director of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Limited in 1939.