Bernhard
Zan

The goldsmith Bernhard Zan, who came from the Württemberg town of Herrenberg, worked as a journeyman in Nuremberg in 1580/81. During this time he created two sets of ornamental stitches as templates for goldsmiths: “12 Stick Zvm Verzaichnen Stechen VerFertigt Bernhart Zan Goldschmid Gesel Inn Niernberg 1580”. His main work with 40 sheets of all types of vessels appeared in 1581, the better-known reprint was published in Ansbach in 1584: “Allerley Gebuntznierte Fisirvngen Gemachen Vnd Avch Gedruckt In Der Frstlichen Stat Onnoltzbach Bei Stefan Herman Goldschmid. Bern. Zan 1584”. After his time as a journeyman, Bernhard Zan returned to Herrenberg, where on July 12, 1586 he married Barbara, a daughter of the brickmaker Balthasar Birer. Zan is documented as a master in Herrenberg in 1593/1594. He died before 1606, in that year his widow married Johann Philipp Mayer, Vogt zu Calw. Bernhard Zan had a daughter Sara baptized on May 30, 1587 and a daughter Jacobina on January 26, 1589 in Herrenberg. One of the godparents for both children was the pastor Johann Andreae. The theologian and son of the pastor, Johann Valentin Andreae, who was also born in Herrenberg, wrote to the Augsburg merchant and art agent Philipp Hainhofer on September 23, 1643 that he owned two artistically engraved cups by Bernhard Zan. On October 7th, 1643, Andreae wrote to Hainhofer that he still had two salt boxes from driven work from “Bernhardt Zahnen famous goldsmiths hand”, but they had fallen victim to the fire and looting of Calw. MuS: COBURG, KS der Veste. NUREMBERG, GNM. –, MStN: Lidded Cup. Lit.: ADB; Thieme Becker; Nagler, KL and Monogr.; Rettberg, 1854, p. 177; Rott, Sources and Research, III: Old Swabia and the Imperial Cities, p. 222; Jamnitzer, 1985; Prein, 1989/91; Nuremberg Artists' Lexicon, edited by Manfred H. Grieb; Archive for Nbger. GSK in GNM.