Ludwig Neresheimer

Ludwig Neresheimer was a prominent German silversmith during the late 19th century and early 20th century, known for crafting high-quality silverware following the ornamental and intricate styles of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo periods.

The company Ludwig Neresheimer & Co. was founded in 1893 by Ludwig Neresheimer in Hanau, Germany. Hanau was known as ‘the city of gold and silver’ and had a reputation for being the centre of artistic silversmithing. Hanau silversmiths were known for recreating designs from earlier periods and crafted a wide array of historical pieces, with Neresheimer crafting intricate pieces that resembled those of 16th- to 18th-century European silversmiths. Due to the level of detail the firm put into their designs, they became renowned for their high-quality with their pieces being mistaken for genuine antique pieces; of the time.

Neresheimer collaborated with the high-end British retailer Berthold Müller, who was a German-born silversmith who emigrated to the UK and because known for being an importer of high-quality Hanau silver. Muller would import pieces from Neresheimer and add his own hallmark, typically assayed in Chester, England, to enable the piece to be sold as ‘British silver’.

After World War I the demand for luxury goods decreased rapidly, in addition to the economic turmoil of Germany weakened the market for ornate silverware, however the company continued to function with a lower production rate. The mid-20th century saw the changes in tastes and the disruption of World War II to Germany’s economy, which led to the major decline in traditional silversmiths, including Ludwig Neresheimer & Co.