Imperial Roman Pot with Gilded RW Monogram of Wilhelm II.

Courtly Roman Pot from the German Empire, circa 1900

This representative Roman pot bears the gilded monogram "RW" (Rex Wilhelm) beneath a royal crown and is one of the rare surviving examples of the courtly drinking and table culture of the German Empire. The colorless glass is adorned with high-quality gilded decoration and dates from around 1900. Its artistic design combines historicizing forms with the representative elegance of the Wilhelminian era.

The shape is based on the traditional Roman glasses of the 17th and 18th centuries, which regained great popularity around 1900 in the course of Historicism and the Neo-Renaissance. Characteristic features are the richly articulated stem with decorative knobs and ring shapes, as well as the slightly bulbous bowl. Such Roman pots were preferred at upscale tables for Rhenish wine, Mosel wine, Riesling, Johannisberger, and other high-quality German white wines.

Particularly noteworthy is the high-quality gilded monogram of Emperor Wilhelm II. beneath the imperial crown, which indicates its use within a representative court service or a comparable upscale setting. The combination of an artistically crafted stem, clear glass, and fine gilding gives the piece an exceptionally decorative and at the same time historic appearance.

Dimensions

• Height: 15.5 cm
• Rim diameter: 5.5 cm

Condition

• Very well preserved, with little wear to the gilding

The shape of the glass strongly suggests a Roman pot for white and Rhenish wines, as it was appreciated at the festive tables of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The historicizing design deliberately draws on the great German tradition of the Roman glass, which for centuries had been considered the preferred drinking vessel for high-quality wines. Especially in the context of courtly and representative table culture, such glasses enjoyed particular appreciation.

Emperor Wilhelm II. promoted the appreciation of German wines and frequently preferred high-quality vintages from the Rhine and Mosel regions on official occasions. Against this background, the attribution of the glass to a representative Rhenish wine service seems particularly plausible. The historic Roman shape underscores the connection to German wine culture and gives the piece a special symbolic significance.

An exceptional collector's item for lovers of Emperor Wilhelm II., imperial glass, court glass, Roman glasses, Roman pots, the German Empire, Prussia, historic table glass, Wilhelminian table culture, Hohenzollern memorabilia, and Wilhelmina memorabilia.