Wilhelm II commemorative plate, 1911

Commemorative plate William II, 1911.
Silver of 800.
Punches F. Miller Sohn.
Weight: 2618 g.
Measurements: 57 cm (diameter).

Commemorative silver plate of King Wilhelm II, dated 1911, conceived as a prize of honor awarded in September of the same year. The piece is set in a historical context prior to the creation of the present state of Baden-Württemberg (1952), at a time when Württemberg was still an independent kingdom under the rule of Wilhelm II, who abdicated in 1918 after the end of World War I and the establishment of the Weimar Republic. This remarkable award therefore belongs to a period prior to these political changes, linked to the beginnings of aviation. It was awarded to the winner of a flying competition through Swabia, and features a delicate engraving depicting the territory of Württemberg, overflown by an Austrian Etrich pigeon and a Wright Type A airplane, symbols of early aeronautical development. It is a piece of great historical and decorative interest, testimony to a pre-war period of innovation and optimism.