Personal items belonging to Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Francis Joseph were very popular with buyers at the Imperial Court Memorabilia auction at Dorotheum on 11 June 2024.

Empress Elisabeth adored Hungarian folklore clothing, which she enjoyed wearing in Vienna. Her Hungarian velvet jacket from around 1880 was auctioned for 62,400 euros. The personal fan with the Empress’s monogram and the Hungarian crown of St. Stephen was worth 9,100 euros to one bidder, while the oil painting of the Empress in a black Hungarian dress fetched 48,100 euros. The choice of wardrobe was also a political statement by the Empress, who cultivated close contacts with Hungary and thus decisively improved the relationship between the Hungarians and the House of Habsburg. Elisabeth’s riding skills were equally legendary, and her personal riding crop realised 16,900 euros.

Francis Joseph was also an enthusiastic horseman. However, he wore his half-boots with spurs on occasions when he was not on horseback. Eugen Ketterl, Emperor Francis Joseph’s personal valet, confirmed on his business card in 1914 “the authenticity of these decommissioned half-boots” belonging to the Emperor. 7,800 euros was the highest bid for them. Francis Joseph’s glasses from the last years of his life were auctioned off for an outstanding 19,500 euros.