Kaiser Wilhelm II von Deutschland

Woven on silk:-

Printed at bottom of card-mount:-
 
WOVEN IN PURE SILK BY T. STEVENS, COVENTRY.
 
Kaiser Wilhelm II.
VON DEUTSCHLAND.

Card-mount:
17.0cm deep by 12.1cm wide

silk:
10.3cm deep by 6.0cm wide

by Austin Sprake:
 

by Geoffrey Godden:
Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany, was born on 27 January 1859, the son of Frederick III of Prussia and Princess Victoria (see so264).
He served in the army with distinction, and became Emperor of Germany on the death of his father in June 1888, but his subsequent career is of little importance.
In 1918 the German Republic was declared - Wilhelm fleeing to Holland in November of that year, where he lived until June 1941.

The German back-label as issued by Franz Drahne of Leipzig lists two versions of Crown Prince Wilhelm - one in uniform, the other in civilian clothes. Also listed on the same back-label is Frederick III and the late Emperor William I. This would date this label to March 1888 to June 1888.
Neither of these two portraits is currently known.

The title WILHELM II OF GERMANY was first listed on label 23+34b, of 1888.
This silk is now very rare and must have been made originally for the German market.

Two portrait silks depict Wilhelm II - one as a young man (the image above),
the other showing a face some twenty years older. This last version is designated §157b (see so576).

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