Historical engraved bronze tankard with lid — gift to the fire brigade (6840)

Dimensions approx. – Height: 27 cm

Base diameter: 13.5 cm

Historical engraved bronze tankard with lid — gift to the fire brigade (antique bronze tankard)

High-quality late Historicist metalwork and an authentic local history narrative meet in this massive bronze presentation tankard with a hinged lid. The body of the item is adorned with a magnificent, relief cartouche featuring Baroque-style scrolls and oak leaf garlands, at the center of which is a delicately engraved text in . The historical inscription commemorates a gift to the long-serving and esteemed treasurer (Kassirer) Mr. F. Kilner (Herrn F. Kulner) from the Prince’s Volunteer Fire Brigade (Prinzlichen freiwilligen Feuerwehr), dated February 26, 1897. The tankard’s visual appeal is strongly enhanced by a dark, expressive cast handle with a Neo-Renaissance style mask at the base and ribbed bands along the entire perimeter, lending the vessel a masculine and monumental character.

Period of Manufacture The very end of the 19th century, precisely dated to 1897. This was a time when volunteer fire brigades in the cities and manor centers of the Baltic governorates were elite and socially extremely significant organizations, involving local craftsmen, merchants, and nobility.

Manufacturer / Signature / Mark The tankard is an outstanding masterpiece of or local Baltic (Riga or Libau) artistic casting. Fire brigades commissioned such presentation tankards only on special occasions—to honor round anniversaries or long service, entrusting the work to the most skilled engravers who incorporated the text with jeweler-like precision.

Rarity & Significance The greatest value of this item lies in its absolute historical specificity and documentary nature. Such personalized award vessels are unique—they were not mass-produced. The story of its discovery (it was found in Tārgale during the dismantling of an old stove) adds a special charm to the item, making it a living testament to the social life and traditions of the Courland Governorate.

Application & Interior Use The tankard will be a monumental and masculine accent on a large wooden desk, in a hunting trophy hall, above a fireplace, or in a display case of historical items. It is an outstanding collector’s item that immediately attracts attention with its patina, weight, and story.

Condition The item is in excellent, fully authentic antique condition. The bronze and metal alloy have retained their natural patina of age, with contrasts of gilding and dark metal that have not been artificially cleaned or polished. The engraving is perfectly legible and sharp. The lid’s hinge mechanism is firm and functions flawlessly. The condition of the item is fully reflected in the photographs.

A Snapshot of the Era, Fire Brigade Commander von Decker: An elated mood prevails in the hall of the Ventspils Governorate Volunteer Fire Brigade, thick with tobacco smoke after the festive parade. At the long table, where the meeting has just concluded, Commander von Decker rises, holding a heavy, newly opened wooden box, and gestures towards the treasurer. “Fritz, you have guarded our brigade’s chest for a full twenty years, and this is the least we can do,” he says loudly, presenting the massive gilded bronze vessel, on whose polished side, next to the oak leaf engraving, the date of February 1897 gleams sharply. Mr. Kilner rises, his palm grasping the cool, embossed metal handle, and the room echoes with the loud cheers of his comrades and the clinking of glasses, celebrating loyalty and camaraderie.

Outside the window, across the snow-covered fields of Tārgale Manor, a mail coach travels slowly, and on the distant seashore, the north wind whispers quietly. While in the big cities, machine factories and textile mills drive forward the new industrial age, here, in the heart of Courland, loyalty to one’s town and one’s brigade is forged into heavy bronze, destined to remain enduring through the decades.