GEORGE V IMPORTED GERMAN HANAU SILVER FINCH MODEL importer Berthold Hermann Muller, London Import 1922, marked for L. Neresheimer & Co. (B Neresheimer & Shöne) of Hanau, naturalistically modelled as a small bird standing on its legs, 13cm high; together with an identical figure that bares no hallmarks, approximately 265g gross (2) Note: It is unusual to find silver models of animals before the 1870s but they quickly grew in popularity. Berthold Hermann Muller opened a shop in Wardour Street, London in 1893 and imported Dutch and German models, primarily from Ludwig Neresheimer & Co. in Hanau, Germany. These were of very fine quality and became so popular that a heavy duty was imposed on the import of silver models. To avoid this tax they started making them with removable heads so that these could be imported as pepper pots, scent bottles or decanters or with moveable wings as toys. It is also feasible that large importers may have not declared or hidden items they imported thus leaving them without hallmarks, ovoiding taxation or charges.