Designed and executed in 1899/1900 by Adolf Hoffmann (1840 – 1905), shown at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. Made in the French Louis XIV style, a high quality, lavishly carved and gold-painted hardwood table with tapering legs, joined by scrolled supports, with finely carved faun-like masks at the top of the legs, with continuous palmette decoration and with a cartouche-like emblem in the centre of the frieze with “RW II” (Rex Wilhelm II for Kaiser Wilhelm II.) and a shaped marble top (breccia violetta). The table bears the inventory label “Schloß Berlin, Zimmer No 210, L(au)f(en)de No 5”, 96 x 175 x 1.04 cm. With small wood losses, some ageing and wear. (DOC)

Wilhelm II., full name Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert of Prussia, was of the Hohenzollern dynasty and from 1888 to 1918 he was the last Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia.

This piece, which is of outstanding quality, looks at first sight as though it is French in origin, but is the work of a Prussian cabinet maker from the end of the 19th century. In Paul Seidel’s volume published in 1901, “Für seine Majestät den deutschen Kaiser angefertigte Kunstmöbel und Bronzen auf der Pariser Weltausstellung 1900” (furniture and bronzes made for his majesty the German Emperor at the Paris World Exhibition of 1900) the console table is illustrated and documented: Wood carving by Adolf Hoffmann; gilding: Noack and John; marble top: Wimmel & Cie.

The inventory label refers to the important castle complex, namely the “Mecklenburgischen Kammern”. The name, the “Mecklenburgischen Wohnung” only emerged in the 19th century; this was set up for mother of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Alexandrine, a sister of Emperor William I on the ground floor at the corner of the pleasure gardens and Schloßfreiheit. Emperor William II. intended that princely guests were to be given suitable and sufficiently spacious rooms which were arranged as an important apartment suite (1903 – 1905). This important table comes from the “Großer Salon” part of the suite of five rooms of the “Mecklenburgischen Wohnung”.

Lit.: Paul Seidel: “Für seine Majestät den deutschen Kaiser angefertigte Kunstmöbel und Bronzen auf der Pariser Weltausstellung 1900”, plate 17, Giesecke & Devrient, Leipzig Berlin 1901 Albert Geyer: Geschichte des Schlosses zu Berlin, vol 2, Vom Königsschloß zum Schloß des Kaisers (1698 – 1918), p. 171, fig 270, Sepp- Gustav Gröschel, Stiftung Preußische Seehandlung, Berlin 2001. Albert Geyer (1846-1938) was director of the Royal castle building commission under Emperor William II

additional picture:
Paul Seidel: „Für seine Majestät den deutschen Kaiser angefertigte Kunstmöbel und Bronzen auf der Pariser Weltausstellung 1900“, Tafel 17
Großer Salon (Raum 210), Mecklenburgische Kammern