The Three Kaisers... in bronze

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Okay... decided to pull up one of my heavy pieces. This is a bronze plaque that I got about nine or ten years ago... see folks... I actually didn't get "everything" twenty years ago!

It's heavy as the dickens... we're talking like fantastic paper weight here and for like really thick piles of paper too! It measures 10 1/4 inches across at the widest point (from the back) by 13 inches from the tip of the crown to the base and it's 1 1/4 inches thick (close as I can get it) at it's thickest point from base of the rim to the thickest point on the figures. Of course it's hollow in the center area so that's just to give you an idea of how big and hefty this piece is.

From what I was told it originally hung in an Opera house... I believe in Berlin but could not swear to that. They were doing a complete restoration years ago and removed this and several others. The original owner also had another one that was nearly identical but showed Bismarck and I "think" I remember him saying he had a third one which showed just Kaiser Wilhelm.

I wish I could have gotten the rest he had but those he didn't want to part with. I believe I got this for $100... He was originally asking $250 for it but it came as part of a large bulk buy. And I think I got a good deal as it's a terrific piece... now all I need is an Opera house or better yet a palace as an appropriate place to mount it. All donations gleefully accepted!

[Hauptmann]

Here's the crown:

And closeups of the Kaisers:

I cannot find any makers marks on the piece and have no other history on it. So if anyone has ever seen these... perhaps even knows the original location and it's history, etc. that it came from, I'd dearly love to know as it would make this an even more interesting piece.

Many thanks!

Dan

[Guest Darrell]

I don't find plaques and these Non-portal items of much interest ... HOWEVER ... this one is a great piece.

[Hauptmann]

I don't find plaques and these Non-portal items of much interest ... HOWEVER ... this one is a great piece.

Hi Darrell,

Awwwww shucks... it's portable... you just need a truck! Just kidding! This one is just so nice I couldn't pass it up. And looks great with all the little portable stuff too!

Sometimes one just needs a center piece for the display and boy does this ever qualify!

Thanks,

Dan

[Daniel Murphy]

Dan,

This plaque was made, as shown, in 1888. A very historic and also very depressing year. It is called "The year of three Kaisers". On March 9, the venerable Kaiser Wilhelm (I) died and his son Crown Prince Friedrich was crowned Kaiser Friedrich III on March 12, 1888. He reigned for 99 days and then died from throat cancer on June 15, 1888. The same day Crown Prince Wilhelm was crowned Kaiser Wilhelm II. And the rest is history....

Dan Murphy