Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Preußen (Frederick William Victor Albert of Prussia; 27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941). The last German Emperor and King of Prussia.

This is a very well-done postcard, circa 1899; the detail and colors are beautiful, though the colors, as we will find out, are not quite exact. Another of it’s kind appears online with the 1899 date in description by the seller, though it seems that that card was sold, so we can’t see any details. Note the politically incorrect for today, cigarette, not to mention the poor animal that was killed to make the hand warmer. What is cool about this one is the note on the back from someone who, it sounds like, was used to seeing the German emperor take his walks in the Tiergarten in Berlin. They wrote:

“Emperor Wm II as he is dressed when he takes his early morning walk in the Thiergarten. Aber [But] – his hat is a bronze green. and the feather – grey turkey with a tuft of red.”

Regarding the publisher or printer info on the front, a Google book snippet shows a 1911 magazine ad, revealing the lithographers as Heinrich and August (or Augustus) Brüning, located in Hanau, Germany, which is about 25 kilometers east of Frankfurt. Hanau is known for being the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm. And the “Lith. Kunstanstalt” on the postcard is probably translated as Art Lithographers or something similar.

Undivided back postcard, unused with writing. Circa 1899. Publisher/printer info: Lith. Kunstanstalt, Heinr. & Aug. Brüning, Hanau. Dep. 7713.

Price:  $20.00

Sources:  Wilhelm II, German Emperor. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_II,_German_Emperor. (accessed January 22, 2016).

“For Designs For Cigar Boxes.” The Studio, Volume 51, National Magazine Company. Google snippet. (accessed January 22, 2016).

Hanau. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanau. (accessed January 22, 2016).