Cornelis de Man (1621-1706), The Curiosity Seller, circa 1670, Design for a Plate with Thetis on a Shell in a Medallion Bordered by Sea
oil on canvas (Courtesy Jan Six Fine Art, Amsterdam) Monsters, ca. 1600, by Adriaen Collaert, circa 1560–1618, Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York
After circa 1645, when the cup was painted, the next recorded following his death.One of the most colourful concerned
owner in 1743 was Hugo Verijssel.The underside of the foot his purchase of a house in Brighton, on condition that the
is engraved on a plate Ter dankbaare gedagtenis van I.C.L occupant was willing to dispose of the property with its entire
toege Eygent aan den Ed.Here Hugo Veryfel 1743 (in grateful contents intact.The owner, a widower, agreed, not realizing
memory by ICL, dedicated to the honourable gentleman, that Wertheimer had spotted a most rare and valuable ceramic
Hugo Verijssel 1743).To whom, Hugo Veryfel 1743, refers is vase through an open window.Having sealed the deal for
speculative but as the recipient of the nautilus must almost £20,000, Wertheimer went on to sell the vase to an American
certainly have been someone of standing, it is plausible to collector for £35,000. (The Daily Mirror, London, Wednesday,
suggest that this was Hugo Verijssel who in 1743 became 26 April 1911, p. 3d) For further information, see Mark
receiver general of the VOC, (Vereenigde Oostindische Westgarth, ‘A Biographical Dictionary of Nineteenth Century
Compagnie) the Dutch East India trading company with Antique and Curiosity Dealers,’ The Journal of the Regional
its administrative capital at Batavia in Java.In 1743 Hugo Furniture Society, vol.XXIII, 2009, pp. 184-185.
Verijssel was also commissioner of an area of Northern Java
called the Pasisir and helped negotiate a treaty signed in that by Eugen Gutmann (1840-1925).His great grandson Simon
year, which reduced the protectionist policies of the VOC
allowing the Company to buy products from the Pasisir such 1840, into an old banking family.His father Bernhard Gutmann
as timber, cotton, pepper, rice and sugar at considerably less
than had been allowed before.Naturally, there was money to the last Kings of Saxony.At that time the family collection
to be made and gifts of thanks to be given.Hugo Verijssel
married the hugely wealthy Sophia Francina Westpalm who Gutmann’s fascination with more exotic artworks began early
inherited the accumulated fortune of her mother’s three
marriages and who, after Verijssel’s death, married the Grünes Gewölbe, the Royal treasure collection in Dresden.
Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Reynier de Klerk.
In 1904 the cup was purchased from Charles Wertheimer
Goodman writes: Eugene Gutmann was born in Dresden in
(1815-1894) owned a private bank and was a financial advisor
consisted primarily of silver and Judaica.However Eugen
when, as a young boy, his father had taken him on a tour of
Among his favourites had been the Nautilus cups.
Towards the end of the 19th century the cup is recorded again
when the owner was Charles Wertheimer (1842 – 1911).He
and his younger brother, Asher (1844 –1918), both noted 1872 he founded the Dresdner Bank, and that same year he
dealers in works of art and pictures, were in partnership with
their father, Samson, trading as S.Wertheimer & Sons at 154 and Sophie’s family.With new headquarters in Berlin and
New Bond Street, until the latter’s death on 25 January 1892.
The brothers then established their own concerns
Asher 1874 and 1886 Eugen and Sophie also managed to produce
remained at 154 New Bond Street, while Charles dispensed
with a gallery, choosing instead to conduct business from his By the turn of the century the Dresdner had affiliates on five
home, 21 Norfolk Street, Park Lane.Both sons inherited their
father’s business acumen and their expertise in pictures and a forty companies.Perhaps his duties had become too onerous,
wide variety of antiques was widely acknowledged.Accounts
of Charles Wertheimer’s legendary dealings became current and Sophie divorced.
Following in the family tradition Eugen went into banking.In
married Sophie Magnus.As the bank flourished so did Eugen
branches cropping up all over the German empire, between
seven children, with Fritz (my grandfather) being the youngest.
continents and Eugen sat on the board of directors of at least
clearly his marriage began to suffer.And then in 1902 Eugen
56