The Austrian Imperial family, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, until today sparks great fascination and attracts visitors to Vienna from all over the world. Empress Elisabeth, called “Sisi” and Emperor Franz Joseph I are still popular more than 100 years after the end of the monarchy. Once again, the two are at the centre of the Imperial Court Memorabilia & Historical Objects auction at Dorotheum. On 11 June 2024, around 300 objects from the Austrian Imperial family as well as other European dynasties will be put up for auction.

In 1867, Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth were crowned King and Queen of Hungary. It was not only from this point onward that Elisabeth cultivated close contact with the country, which also regained its constitution in the year of her coronation. The Royal Palace of Gödöllő became a favourite place of the empress, she learned Hungarian, preferred Hungarian ladies in waiting and her Lord Chamberlain was also Hungarian, just like her reader Ida von Ferenczy and not to forget the Hungarian Graf Gyula Andrássy who became her closest friend and advisor. Elisabeth loved Hungarian folklore-clothing which she also liked to wear in Vienna. A Hungarian black velvet jacket worn by the empress with bell-shaped sleeves and rich gold trimmings is offered in the auction with an estimate of 15,000 to 25,000 euros.

The empress is depicted in a Hungarian black dress in an oil painting that dates back to around 1890 (€12,000 – 18,000). After the fateful death of her son Crown Prince Rudolf which deeply affected her, Elisabeth wore only black. Her travel spirit was remarkable. In Elisabeth’s estate there were 23 photo albums of her journeys from 1890 to 1894. Algeria was on the agenda in 1890. The Imperial album, with 72 city and port views from Tanger, Oran and Algier as well as portraits of folk types is estimated at 4000 to 6000 euros. The empress’s personal riding crop from around 1870 is estimated at 2,000 to 4,000 euros.

A highlight of the auction is a pair of leather half boots with spurs belonging to Emperor Franz Joseph I. Eugen Ketterl, personal valet of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty confirms the authenticity of these boots on the accompanying sealed business card.  The emperor wore this type of boot with his uniform on official occasions (€4,000 – 8,000). An oil painting by the renowned painter Julius von Blaas depicting Emperor Franz Joseph I on horseback is expected to fetch at least 25,000 to 35,000 euros.

An extensive collection (455 pieces) of postcards sent to his son Franz Ketterl by the personal valet Eugen Ketterl – who held this office for 22 years until Emperor Franz Joseph’s death – proves that Elisabeth was not the only one to travel the world. Ketterl accompanied the emperor among other places to Monte Carlo, Saint Peterburg, Bratislava, Budapest and many more (€2,500 – 5,000). The emperor’s medical reports, drawn up two or three days before his death by his personal physician Dr. Joseph Kerzl and the physician Prof. Norbert Ortner, provide information about his heart activity, temperature and visits received (€600 – 1,200).

Personal objects belonging to Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736) appear only very rarely. A personal spotting scope belonging to the important general, the builder of the Belvedere palace in Vienna, who also made a name for himself as an art collector and patron, will be auctioned (€500 – 1,000). An important portrait drawn by Johann Salomon Wahl shows the prince in armour in front of a bridge with the turmoil of battle (€30,000 – 50,000).