The Prince Friedrich Leopold Steeplechase prize
Designed as a pear-shaped bottle on an inswept oval base. Decorated with finely chased acanthus and three lion's head mascarons in relief supporting chains. The finial of the flat screw-top lid formed as the Prussian eagle, inscribed to the edge "PRINZ FRIEDRICH LEOPOLD JAGD-RENNEN". H 40 cm, weight 2,223 g.
Berlin silver, marks of Johann Wagner & Sohn, ca. 1894.
The Berlin Racetrack in Carlshorst, between Tierpark and the Spree, was opened in 1894. The German horseracing paper "Der Sporn" described the event on 12th May: "It was a veritable migration as people made the pilgrimage out to the new track. Friends of the Steeplechase Association arrived by cart, by steamship, and by rail. (...) As representatives of the Royal Family, Prince and Princess Friedrich Leopold attended the inaugration of the track at Carlshorst. Prince Friedrich Leopold himself presented a special prize: A gadrooned silver wine jug with a Prussian eagle to its cap presented to Major von Koeller, the lucky winner of the race."
Literature
This type of flask developed from the form of medieval pilgrim's flasks, such as those kept in the silver collection of the "Rittersaal" in Berlin Palace. They experienced a certain Renaissance as royal presentation gifts in the late 19th century. Cf. cat.: Kaiserliches Gold und Silber, Hanau 1986, no. 73.