The lot features a 19th-century Black Forest Austrian fallow deer mount from Eckartsau Franz Ferdinand and Kaiser Wilhelm II Castle. The Castle of Eckartsau in Austria was Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s (heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) estate from which these antlers were taken. Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the owner of the Eckartsau Palace, had it turned into a hunt castle. Today Eckartsau is now a museum, were many of his trophies are displayed. The Eckartsau Hunt Castle would host Ferdinand’s family and various dignitaries included hunts with King Wilhelm II, the last King of Prussia and the last Emperor or Kaiser of Germany. A group of the trophies were acquired by a collector and imported into the US. The royal trophies in the collection were from both the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Eckartsau Estate and Kaiser Wilhelm II, Eulenburg Estate. The mount features a wonderfully and professionally crafted taxidermy construction that shows two fallow deer antlers mounted on a carved hardwood shield with the animals vertibrae at the top of the shield. The taxidermy comes with antique Habsburg antlers from the Eckartsau Castle of Emperor Franz Josef in the Southern Austrian Alps, a favorite hunting Schloss of the Habsburg family. Part of The European Hunt Collection, this grouping of antique hunting trophies from Royal and Noble families of Germany & Austria has been examined and appraised by James Supp of Coronado Trading Co., who is best known for his work. The condition of this fallow deer mount is preserved with some wear to the wooden shield and the antlers look to be treated but in good condition. The measurements of this fallow deer mount is 15 1/2" x 17" x 18". The collective weight of this mount is 3lb 12oz. Provenance: From a prominent ex-Bozeman private collection who purchased the majority of his collection from Cowan's, Skinner, Bonhams, Morphy's, Sotheby's, March in Montana, North American Auction and other well revered auction houses.