Ernest Augustus (II) of Hanover (1845 - 1923) - personal interim frock coat as a General of the British Army.

This long interim frock coat of English pattern, made of fine black cloth, comes from the wardrobe of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, and is a particularly rare and excellently preserved piece of court military attire. The cuffs and the stand-up collar are made of exquisite black velvet, the lining of black cloth, and the sleeves are lined with white silk - a typical detail for high-quality officer uniforms of the period.

Particularly striking are the two rows of eight gilded buttons each, displaying the insignia of a General of the Mounted Artillery: crossed sword and cannon in a laurel wreath - a symbol of military authority and tradition. The reverse bears the manufacturer's mark "Firmin & Son Ld. London", one of the leading British suppliers of military uniforms and a court purveyor.

On the left lapel is the original inventory label of the Royal Collection, with the inscription: "Garderobe Sr. Königlichen Hoheit des Herzogs von Cumberland, Herzogs zu Braunschweig und Lüneburg – Gegenstand" (Wardrobe of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg – Item) and the handwritten addition: "Interimsrock engl." (Interim frock coat English) and "Nr. 3".

The frock coat is in very good to excellent condition and is an impressive testament to Anglo-German military tradition, the dynastic connections of the House of Hanover, and the representative uniform culture of the late 19th century.

A real highlight for collectors of historical military attire, aristocratic memorabilia, and objects from the possession of European royal houses.

Ernest Augustus of Hanover, Crown Prince of Hanover, 3rd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was born in 1823 as the only son of George V, the last King of Hanover. When his father was dethroned after the annexation of the Kingdom of Hanover by Prussia in 1866, he went into exile with him in Austria. Emperor Franz Joseph I accepted Ernest Augustus as a colonel into the Austrian army, and after the death of George V in 1878, he received the title of 3rd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale. Additionally, Queen Victoria appointed him Knight of the Order of the Garter and a General in the British Army. Refusing a reconciliation with the House of Hohenzollern, he insisted on his claims to the throne in Hanover. Only the marriage of his son Ernest Augustus (III) in 1913 to Viktoria Luise, daughter of Emperor Wilhelm II, brought a détente. Ernest Augustus (II) renounced his claims to the Duchy of Brunswick in favor of his son, who thus became the reigning Duke on November 1, 1913.

Provenance: Sotheby's auction "The Royal House of Hanover", Marienburg Castle, 29 September to 8 October 2005.

The photographs are not included in the delivery.