in 1741 or earlier, natter came to england to work as a medallist and gem-engraver, bringing with him from italy a collection of antique gems and sulphur casts. in 1743 he visited, in company with martin tuscher of nuremberg, denmark, sweden, and st. petersburg. christian vi of denmark gave him a room in his palace, where he worked at gem and die cutting for nearly a year. he was well paid, and presented by the king with a gold medal. horace walpole wrote that natter visited holland in 1746. he returned to england in or before 1754, and appears to have remained there till the summer of 1762. he became a fellow of the society of antiquaries of london in 1755, and of the royal society in 1757.