Burghley Nef
The Burghley Nef is a fancy salt cellar made in Paris in 1527–28 (or possibly earlier). It is shaped like a late medieval ship, with the hull made from a real nautilus shell. The ship sits on the back of a mermaid on a hexagonal base. It stands 34.8 cm tall.
In medieval France, nef meant a boat-shaped container for dining items. This nef was used to hold salt or spices, and it has a detachable compartment on the rear deck that could be passed around the table. The nautilus shell is a rare natural curiosity. The Nef would have stood in front of the most important person at the table as a sign of status.
At the foot of the main mast, tiny figures of Tristan and Iseult are shown, part of a legend about love and sorrow.
The Nef was found by Arthur Grimwade in the basement of Burghley House in 1956 and sold on 17 July 1959 when the 6th Marquess of Exeter auctioned part of his silver collection. It is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, bought with help from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and the National Art Collections Fund.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:20 (CET).