Lot 167A
Central Europe, likely Bohemia or Germany, ca. late 19th century CE. A dazzling spectacle of imperial nostalgia, this monumental Bohemian glass goblet - known as a Reichsadlerpokal - was crafted in the 19th century by Anton Ambros Egermann of Haida, Bohemia, son of the renowned glass innovator Friedrich Egermann. Though unmarked, the maker's signature style reveals itself in the choice of olive green glass, exuberant enameling, and characteristically ahistorical flourishes. Egermann's works are known for imaginative liberties: the use of bright orange enamel, glass hues unknown to original 17th-century examples, and inscriptions with a flair for poetic invention. Boldly enameled across its cylindrical bowl is the Reichsadler, the double-headed imperial eagle of the Holy Roman Empire, its wings festooned with an intricate array of armorial bearings. Size: 5.4" Diameter x 16" H (13.7 cm x 40.6 cm)
These do not merely represent cities, but rather the great offices of the realm: the Prince-Electors and Archbishops of Mainz, Trier, and Cologne, the Electors of Bohemia, the Palatinate, Saxony, and Brandenburg - all named in the top row, joined by other key imperial dignities. Below these, the full feathered spread bears the coats of arms of duchies, counties, principalities, and knightly territories - a heraldic pageant of Germanic power.
A particularly curious detail lies in the inscription "G.W.M.Z.B. - Anno 1616," referring to Georg Wilhelm, Margrave of Brandenburg, Prince Elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 1619 to 1640. Though this attribution and date are historically inaccurate, such embellishments were a signature move in Historismus glassware - objects designed to evoke the majesty of a lost imperial past with theatrical license. Around the rim, a patriotic verse proclaims: "Das ganze heilige Romische Reich, Mit Seinen Gliedern allzugleich!" - "The whole Holy Roman Empire, with all its members united!" - a 19th-century line of national unity pulled from imperial song.
Heavily banded in applied white enamel rings, dotted with orange and white floral medallions, and mounted atop a thick knopped pedestal, this goblet towers with architectural elegance. While decorative in nature, pieces of this scale and craftsmanship once served in ceremonial banquets or as commemorative gifts. With its bravura execution and romantic historicism, this Pokal stands as a gleaming testament to imperial revivalism - richly imagined, proudly made, and utterly devoted to spectacle.
Provenance: private Denver, Colorado, USA collection, acquired in the 1960's
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#195712
- Condition: Intact and excellent with impressive preservation of pigments and detail.
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|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
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| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |