Der
Rittmeister Militaria, LLC. Imperial German Merchandise Page 26: Bronzes, Busts, Statues, and Figurines.
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Bronzes & Statues
26-16 PRESENTATION BRONZE
OF KAISER WILHELM II IN THE UNIFORM OF A GROßADMIRAL TO
ADMIRAL FREDERICK von INGENOHL.
Bronzes of Kais
er Wilhelm II are extremely popular with
collectors. These bronzes come in a variety of sizes and
different quality levels. Even modest households in Germany
usually displayed a small bronze of the Kaiser. At the other
extreme were the massive pieces commissioned by the Kaiser
himself. They were produced and given as gifts for special
services to the Kaiser and the Reich. These often ranged to
20" in height and exceeded 20+ lbs.! They were never
produced in great quantities. Most of them featured the
Kaiser wearing an army regimental uniform. One should
remember, however, that Wilhelm II was a Navy man at heart.
He really savored his role as Großadmiral in the Kaiserliche
Marine. As with ANY area of collecting,
we ALWAYS find that naval items are fewer in number. It does
not matter whether it is wound badges, qualification badges,
uniforms, or whatever; navy items are ALWAYS harder to find. Our featured
item brings this scarcity home with a resounding bang. As rare as are these
presentation bronzes of Wilhelm II, the number of them with a naval theme is
minuscule. We recently readjusted our focus in this area of merchandise.
Although we have offered busts of German royalty and military commanders for
years, now we are searching for rarer pieces. I do not use the term "museum piece"
or "museum quality" lightly. Applying either in
this case does not represent an overstatement. What we offer today is a massive,
beautifully constructed, special presentation bronze of
Kaiser Wilhelm II in the uniform of a Großadmiral. That
alone makes it a very rare piece. In addition, it was a
special presentation piece given by a grateful Kaiser to
Admiral Friederick von Ingenohl. Frederick von Ingenohl
(1857-1933) first joined the Imperial German Navy in 1874 at
the age of seventeen. He served in many commands, then
ultimately was appointed to command the High Seas Fleet in
1913. He was, in fact, its commander at the outbreak of WW I.
Although aggressive by nature, Ingenohl was never able to
fully implement his plans for his fleet. This was due in part
to a lack of support from the Kaiser himself, who did not
want to risk his fleet, and from interference by the German
Admiralty. Alfred von Tirpitz was one of his biggest
opponents. After a whispering campaign to the Kaiser, von
Ingenohl was replaced in February 1915. This bronze was presented to von
Ingenohl in April 1914 on the occasion of his 40th
year of service in the Navy. This imposing bronze measures
some 20" in height and weighs more than twenty-two lbs.
The bronze has a marble base (dark green and white) and a
matching circular extension to which the waist-high likeness
of 
Kaiser Wilhelm II is attached. This stunningly beautiful
likeness shows the Kaiser in the full-dress uniform of a
Großadmiral. Wilhelm is wearing his fore and aft cap and
grasps a telescope in his right hand. Attached to the
circular marble extension is a dedication plaque, which
states "Meinem leiben Ingenohl 12
April 1914 Wilhelm." Topping this
beautifully patinaed plaque is a superb Hohenzollern Crown.
This massive bronze was the work of the noted sculptor, Otto
Rohloff. Rohloff’s signature appears on the reverse of
the bronze. I am so excited to present this naval-themed
bronze to you today. I hope that each of you will read this
description in detail and look closely at the attached
photographs. All of the items we offer have history attached
to some degree or another. This is a slice of history at its
best, as a king acknowledges the contributions of his loyal
subject in a most effuse and generous manner.
$9,995.00
(Click here for more images)
26-14 BRONZE OF THE HAND
AND BATON OF GENERALFELDMARSCHALL PAUL von HINDENBURG.
This exciting item represents the first of a new line we will
be offering at Der Rittmeister Militaria. While we have dealt
in the various forms of classic militaria for years, we now
want to explore Imperial German martial artwork in greater
depth. This will include bronzes, paintings, and other objets
d’art. Our first offering is a very
rare bronze representing the hand and marschall’s
baton of Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg. Arguably,
von Hindenburg was the best-known and most respected, in
Germany, of its field commanders. When the war began in 1914,
he was retired. He was called back to service and given
command of German armies in the East. It was here that he was
first teamed with General Erich Ludendorff. Together they
achieved a wonderful victory at Tannenberg in Eastern
Prussia. This proved to be one of the greatest military
victories of WW I. In this battle an outnumbered German Army
outmaneuvered the Russians, then dealt them a crushing
defeat. For this victory, honors were heaped on von
Hindenburg, including the rank of Generalfeldmarschall. From
that point forward von Hindenburg and Ludendorff acted as one
during the rest of WW I. It is also while he commanded
the armies in the East that we are brought to the story
behind this historically important bronze we are offering.
Throughout the war, Kaiser Wilhelm II was much involved in
the military affairs of his armies. He fancied himself a
military strategist (much as did a certain Bavarian corporal
with HIS armies during WW II)! The Kaiser was constantly
involved in the smallest issues. It seems he felt that he
needed some army units from von Hindenburg’s command for
the West and arranged for their transfer. Von Hindenburg was
a strong willed man in his own right and protested this
vehemently. Wilhelm II turned a deaf ear to these
protestations. Von Hindenburg then dispatched a major from
his staff to Berlin. The major, at von Hindenburg’s
behest, went to Kaiser Wilhelm II’s wife, the Kaiserin
Auguste Victoria. As one might expect, this did not sit well
with the Kaiser! It was certainly a time when the
messenger was blamed for his message. The major was removed
from von Hindenburg’s staff. Although he may not have
spent the rest of the war peeling potatoes in the
hinterlands, he was sent somewhere much less important than
being on von Hindenburg’s staff! Again, if von
Hindenburg had been unhappy when his units were taken away
from him, he was even less pleased when his staffer was
transferred as well. Thus began a period of very cool
relations between von Hindenburg and the Kaiser. The Kaiserin
tried to patch things up between the two men. As a part of
that effort she commissioned the well-known sculptor
professor Stanislaus Cauer to make a bronze showing a hand
laid horizontally on a platform holding a
generalfeldmarschall’s baton. At some point in 1915 von
Hindenburg, in his own attempt to reconcile with his Kaiser,
commissioned a similar bronze. It had some differences. While
the first bronze showed the hand and baton in a horizontal
position, the von Hindenburg version was vertical. The one of
the copies of the latter is what we are offering to you. The arm serves as the base. The
generalfeldmarschall’s baton is clutched in the air by a
right hand with a wedding ring on the ring finger. The detail
to the baton is remarkable. It looks like the scale of the
hand and baton are just about correct for an actual hand and
baton. The sides of the baton are covered with alternating
rows of Hohenzollern Eagles and Crowns. On the underneath of
the arm is covered by the engraving of the presentation for
this piece. This particular example was the one presented to
von Hindenburg’s trusted deputy, Generalleutnant Erich
Ludendorff. The engraving reads as follows: "Meinem
Generalstabschef Gen. Lt. Ludendorff von Hindenburg 9 April
1915 Lötzen." As you will note
from the attached photos of the base, the signature of von
Hindenburg correctly recreates HIS
signature! Also on the base is the signature of the artist Professor
Stanislaus Cauer, who was the artist of
the first bronze. Cauer
was a premiere artist in Germany when it came to the design
and manufacture of bronzes for royalty and the military. This
information is contained in a recently released book on the
history of the batons of generalfeldmarschalls and
großadmirals. This book is "Mythos
Marschallstab der Marschallstab in der Preußischen und
Deutschen Geshichte von 1852 bis 1945" by
André Stirenberg, copyright 2004, H. M. Hauschild Gmbh,
Bremen. This interesting book follows the development and the
differences in the batons carried by generalfeldmarschalls
and großadmirals. The information, which will be shipped
with this bronze, appears on pages 124
and 125. The bronze stands 11 3/4" at its
tallest point. The section of arm to the knuckle of the index
hand is 9." The overall length of the
generalfeldmarschall’s baton is 12 1/4." It weighs
4 pounds, 14 ½ ounces. It is my understanding that three to
five of these were created. This example was acquired
indirectly from the widow of General Ludendorff. [As an
aside, and to show the importance and respect given to
Ludendorff both by von Hindenburg and Kaiser Wilhelm II, he
was awarded the Pour le Mérite and Pour le Mérite with Oak
Leaves. He was one of the six recipients, the lowest ranked,
of the 1914 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross]. This is an
amazing artifact. In addition to being historically
significant, it a beautiful piece of art. It highlights the
elegance of the high-end bronzes produced in Imperial
Germany. $9,495.00. .
(Click here for more images)
26-25
XJB LARGE BRONZE STATUE - SOLDIER IN GRENADIER-REGIMENT Nr 11 - PRUSSIA.
This is
a consignment item. It is certainly the largest and most impressive
statue we have ever offered. It represents a soldier from
Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich III (2.
Schlesisches) Nr 11. The regiment was founded in 1808. It was garrisoned
at Breslau (in present-day Poland. It also was Manfred von Richthofen’s homestead). The regiment, which had fought bravely
in the Napoleonic Wars, was attached to the VI. ArmeeKorps. The massive
statue stands 44" in overall height! Its marble base measures 9" x 91/4" x 1
1/4." A secondary bronze base is attached to the marble base, measuring 8" x
8" x 1 3/4." The soldier’s actual height is 27," which, added to the rest,
gives us the final figure of 44 inches. I believe you will agree, a statue
standing three feet and eight inches in height is very impressive! (We seldom
have offered any statues much more than 18" in height). The soldier grips his
rifle firmly in his right hand. From rifle butt to bayonet tip, it measures a
striking 26 inches. Perhaps the statue’s most impressive statistic is
its weight. Our steadfast soldier clocks in at a whopping 61.6
pounds!
The sculptor has signed his name as W. Uhlmann. I have not been able to
find information about this name. [I have found information on a German
sculptor named Hans Uhlmann (1900-1975). I do not know if they are
related or not]. As you can see from the attached photographs, the detail work
on the soldier and his equipment is amazingly lifelike. It is almost as if a
soldier was miniaturized and frozen in time.
Ultimately, it is one of those items where it is better to show you its
pictures, let you enjoy them, and stop prattling on!
[Naturally, special shipping charges will
be involved in sending this HEAVY piece to you! Charges will be based on your
location and the type of shipping you prefer].
$9,995.00
(Click here for more images)
18-180 STATUE OF AN EARLY
HUSSAR. This is a metal statue of an
early Hussar. It is silver-toned, with quite a bit of detail.
It stands 8 1/2" tall, and has a base that is 4" x
4." The Hussar is wearing his attila
and dolman over his
shoulder. He is wearing a shako complete with bush. He is
holding a sword and sports a sabertache.
This is quite reasonably priced and gives you a lot of bang
for your buck. $175.00.
. .
(Click here for more images)
26-24
STATUE - GERMANIA - GERMANY’S PROTECTOR.
Germania was the mythical
protector of Germany. A large statue of her was erected on the Rhine and there
she looked to the West where she stood ever vigilant to warn and protect
Germany from an invasion from France. Today we offer an oversized statue of
Germania which stands 16" tall overall. Germania herself measures 14" tall and
she is mounted on a golden base which measures 2". The statue is made from
stamped steel which weighs 8 lbs. and 1.5 ounces. It is painted in both silver
and gold. She holds the Hohenzollern crown uplifted in her right hand. In her
left hand she holds a sword ready to do battle with any enemies who attack
Germany. On either side of her you can see a an Eagle lending her support. On
the reverse you can see that the statue is made of stamped steel. This is a
very striking statue and will add a great deal to any room where it is placed
and then Germania will look out for you!
$675.00
(Click here for more images)
This is a consignment item. It is an oversized statue of a rampant Lion of
Bavaria. It is made of base metal which has a coating of gilt over it. The
Lion stands 10 1/2" tall from its base to the tip of its mane. The Lion is mounted
on a wooden base which is a further 2 1/4" tall so the overall height of this
presentation is 13". The Lion is attached firmly to the base. The consignor
tells me that this piece was used as a finial at a castle and displays the
might and bravery of Bavaria. It weighs a whopping 9 ½ lbs. and is very well
made with excellent detail.
Due to the weight
and the size additional shipping may be required depending on to where it will
be shipped.
$1,495.00
(Click here for more images)
Busts
20-175 LIFE-SIZED KAISER WILHELM II BUST AS AN ADMIRAL IN
THE KAISERLICHEE MARINE IN PARADE UNIFORM.
This is a large, well made, plaster or bisque bust of Kaiser Wilhelm II in a Kaiserliche Marine Admiral’s dress uniform. The bust depicts the Kaiser
from the chest up. It looks VERY nearly life-sized to me. The
bust measures 29 3/4" in height, and 22 3/4" in width. It weighs a whopping
28.2 lbs.,
total! I wanted to share these dimensions with you first, so you can
appreciate the item’s sheer magnitude and exhilarating presence. Mere
photographs do not begin to do the piece full justice. Its details are
amazing. Gazing at in person, it is almost as if the Kaiser is in the same
room with you. He is attired in an admiral’s parade uniform.
The bust was produced before he assumed the rank of Großadmiral. The latter
rank (full Admiral) was equivalent to the Germany Army’s rank of General der
Infantrie or General der Kavallerie. This is imperative if one is to
understand the Großadmiral’s importance of in the German Navy. During the
entire Imperial German Period, only six men achieved the rank of Großadmiral!
These men included:
Kaiser Wilhelm II - 1901.
King Oscar II of Sweden - 1901.
Hans von Koester - 1905.
Prinz Heinrich von Preußen - 1909.
Alfred von Tirpitz - 1911.
Henning von Holtzendorff - 1918.
No equivalent rank to Generaloberst existed in the German Navy. Thus, one
finds the jump from Admiral to Großadmiral. If one examines the bust’s
epaulettes, in addition to the Navy’s fouled anchor the Kaiser is wearing an
Admiral’s two pips on each epaulette, rather than a Großadmiral’s crossed
batons. It also informs us that the bust predates 1901, when the Kaiser
assumed became the Kaiserliche Marine’s first Großadmiral.
Around his neck, the Kaiser is wearing the Kette (Collar) of the
Hohenzollern House Order. It is one of Imperial Germany’s rarest decorations.
It makes the PLM look common! [I saw one of these several years ago
that had belonged to the King of Bulgaria. It was in its original presentation
case (which was massive), and its asking price was more than $100,000].
The Kette was awarded only to German royalty, and royalty from other
nations at the King/Kaiser’s discretion. Wilhelm is also wearing a Frack bar
on his left breast.
This is a simply superb bust. If you have the space to display it properly,
this would make a key piece for your collection.
[Due to the item’s size and weight,
special packing and shipping will be required. This will be determined based
on your location and shipping needs. You will be charged based on the actual
cost.
$2,995.00
CW
(Click here for more images)
26-21 GA GLASS BUST - KAISER WILHELM I.
This is
a most unusual bust of Kaiser Wilhelm I. The actual bust is an opaque glass
that stands on a black porcelain base. The glass portion of the bust stands 2
3/4"
tall. The porcelain base is 2 1/4" tall, which makes the overall height of the
presentation 4 3/4." It is a handsome arrangement, and far different from the more
common plaster and metal versions.
$325.00
(Click
here for more images)
26-08 BUST OF OTTO von
BISMARCK. This
is a splendid bust of the "Iron Chancellor," Otto
von Bismarck. He was the chief architect of German foreign
policy and oversaw the expansion of the Prussian Empire in
the 19th
Century. The bust is gilt painted over some type of metal. It
is mounted on a wooden base and stands 4 3/4" tall. Even
though it is not very large, it is quite weighty for its
size. The piece is in very good condition. $195.00
(Click here for more images)
Figurines
26-13 PORCELAIN FIGURE OF
A HUSSAR. This is an exquisite
porcelain figure of a Hussar. He stands 7 3/4" tall. The
man is wearing a 19th
Century dress uniform, complete with sword, busby, atilla,
etc. He even has a cape and bedroll slung over his shoulder.
The only small flaw in this delightful item is that
two-thirds of his sword is missing below the hilt. Otherwise,
this is a lovely piece in excellent condition. It is a bargain
at this price. $125.00 . . .
(Click here for more images)
18-169 VASE WITH A
SOLDIER ON IT. This is a small vase
that would be suitable for holding a bud or other small
flower. The flower holder looks like a guard house or door
and stands 4". A soldier wearing a pickelhaube and
holding his Mauser
stands against it. It is in charming condition. $100.00
(Click here for more
images)
18-109 PORCELAIN
PATRIOTIC FIGURINE. This is a small
hand painted patriotic porcelain figurine that celebrated the
second year of WW I. This figurine stands 2 3/4" tall
and is 2 ½’ wide. It consists of two columns with
eagles mounted on them. Between the two columns is a wreath
with an Iron Cross in the center. This entire arrangement is
mounted on a base that bears the date of 1915.
The reverse of this base has the number 7925.
The basic color of this small figurine is white. There are
gold highlights on the columns. The eagles are mostly gold.
The wreath is both gold and white. The Iron Cross is black.
There is a ribbon looped from it to the wreath above. This is
all hand painted. The figurine has no chipping or cracks to
it. $175.00.
(Click here for more
images)
18-215 BIG BERTHA
PATRIOTIC FIGURINE OR BUD
VASE. This is an unusual patriotic
figurine that could have been displayed alone or possibly
even used as a bud vase. It is made of porcelain and
represents the huge, powerful cannon "Big Bertha."
While the Germans had larger cannons in their arsenal, Big
Bertha really captured the public’s imagination. I
believe the gun received its name from the head of Krupp
Werke naming it for a daughter or
granddaughter. The figurine measures 6 3/8" in height.
It shows the gun at an angle of 45 degrees, ready to fire. On
the barrel in gold is noted "Die
Dicke Bertha aus Essen Hasweitte 42". Attractively
made and in very fine condition, it would make a most unusual
addition to any collection. $175.00
(Click here for more images)
26-26 EAGLE STATUE - HOHENZOLLERN CROWN. To me nothing
speaks of Imperial Germany’s majesty like a Hohenzollern Eagle with the
matching Hohenzollern Crown. I always get that special feeling when I see a
helmet from the Regiment der Garde du Corps. The magnificent Eagle with
majestic outspread wings, the Hohenzollern Crown set atop its head, its
expression regal and defiant at the same time – it really speaks to me. It
seems only appropriate during a week we are presenting a Regiment der Garde
du Corps helmet that we offer this marvelous statue as well. This bronze
statue presents an Eagle’s strong head staring haughtily at us. The detail to
the head feathers is nothing less than amazing. A strong beak lets us know
that no foolishness or lack of respect will be tolerated. This powerful
and serene King of the Air is faithful to his counterpart, Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Atop the Eagle’s head is a large and distinctive Hohenzollern Crown. A fine,
double-edged marble base supports the head. The base measures 1 1/2" in height and
4 3/4" in diameter at the bottom. The bronze portion of the statue measures
8 1/4"
from its base to the very tip of the Hohenzollern Crown. Thus, the overall
height of this impressive statue measures an impressive 9 3/4."
This is a very heavy, substantial statue weighing 9 lbs.
and 10.5 ounces. It would display superbly beside a helmet from the Regiment
der Garde du Corps or as part of any display, for that matter!
$750.00CW
(Click here for more images)
26-28 BUST - KÖNIGIN
LUISE - PRUSSIA. This is a fine bust of Königin Luise of Prussia. Luise
(1776-1810) was the daughter of Mecklenburg-Strelitz’s Grand Duke. She was
also König Friedrich Wilhelm III (1770-1840) of Prussia’s wife and royal
consort. Friedrich Wilhelm III was the son and heir to the Prussian throne
when his father, König Frederick (the Great, 1712-1786), died in 1786.
Friedrich Wilhelm III was the King during the Napoleonic Wars, and the
originator of the Iron Cross in 1813. Königin Luise was one of the most
beloved Prussian royals ever. She was as admired in her time as Kaiserin
August Viktoria (wife of Kaiser Wilhelm II) and Prinzessin Cecilie (wife of
Kronprinz Wilhelm, the Kaiser who never was) were in their time. Luise was a
strikingly beautiful woman. The bust reveals her in all her glory. It is
made of bisque porcelain. It stands 9" tall and 6" wide. It would make a
very fine addition to any collection where busts of other German royals are
a part.
$250.00
MO
(Click here for more images)
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26-27 XJB STATUE OF A RAMPANT LION - BAVARIA.
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