Historical Note: All of the Austro Hungarian Empire dinnerware items featured on this page are extremely rare as they come from both a siginicant country and a major navy that no longer exists after the close of WWI, 1918. The Austro Hungarian Empire (or Kaiserliche und Konigliche (KuK) Kriegsmarine) was a formidable late 19th early 20th Century worldwide military entity and a significant force plying the Mediterranean and European waters. Upon Germany's surrender in 1918 part of the negotiated settlement was the disunion of the KuK as a single political entity and the subsequent dismantling of its huge fleet which went mostly to Italy as war reparations.

As is the case in most political and military upheavals the vanquished destroy much of its more nicer equipment before it falls into the hands of the victors, and this certainly was the case in the demise of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. And in many cases the victors also destroy the symbolic items and equipment of the vanquished if it could not readily be used. In both cases artifacts are then lost to history. Fine porcelain china and silverware easily fit into this category and as such not much of it has survived.

Please enjoy reviewing this page insofar as photo-historical identification of insignia, topmarks, hallmarks, and backstamps used on KuK Kriegsmarine dinnerware and tableware. However we also have some of these RARE items for purchase, and you can review what we have available by Clicking Here

PRICE FOR THIS DINNER PLATE: $495.

The above photos feature a VERY rare, perhaps the only one in existence today, of a 9" Dinner Plate from the Imperial Austro-Hungarian Empire's Navy date coded 1898 or 1910 depending on the interpretation of Royal Worcester's date code, (Kaiserliche und Konigliche (KuK) Kriegsmarine) and clearly illustrates the Crown of the Habsburg Monarchy. This dinner plate may very well be the last surviving piece of porcelain tableware produced for and used by the KuK Kriegsmarine!

The KuK Empire's Navy (which was among the largest in the world at that time, certainly in the Mediterranean) was dismantled following WWI in 1919 as part of the overall Armistice signed between the various combatants in the war. As part of the breakup of this long held empire much of it's ships and naval war materiel was given over to the Italian government as part of war reparations.

The Imperial Austro-Hungarian Empire was established in 1867 as a dual monarchy (or dual state) ruled by Austria and Hungary, and consisted of Austria, Hungary, and what is now considered the Eastern European States of Serbia, Estonia, Lithuania, etc etc.

It was the baltic states bordering the Adriatic Sea which gave the Austro-hungarian Empire blue water access into the Mediterranean for it to have such a viable Navy, which it did.

The photo to the left illustrates the dinner plate's bottom mark, which in and of itself is historically priceless for antique porcelain collectors interested in the history of European and certainly the Imperial Austro-Hungarian Empires contribution to fine porcelain.

This bottom mark consists of two famous porcelain or china manufacturers: Royal Worcester of England and W.P.M. Jos Boeck, Wien which stood for Wien Porzellan Manufaktur, Josef boeckk (or Boeck) and Wien which stood for Vienna. Or simply the Vienna Porcelain Factory, Joseph Boeck of Vienna, Austria.

At first inspection it is unclear whether Boeck/WPM of Austria designed the plate and had Royal Worcester of England to produce it for them; or conversely if Royal Worcester designed the plate and had Boeck/WPM produce it for them. It is our opinion that Boeck/WPM designed the plate from an order they received from the Austrian Government for use by the Austro-Hungarian Navy.

This opinion can be substantiated by the fact that the WPM closed it's porcelain production factory in 1867 and did not reopen it again until 1923. During this 56 year hiatus the WPM operated more like a school for artists and artisans in which they designed beautifully detailed porcelain but needed to have foriegn manufacturer's outside of Austria to actually produce the products.

In reviewing the date codes used on the Royal Worcester bottom mark it has been determined that this plate was produced by them in 1903 during the time when when the WPM did not have any porcelain manufacturing facilities, Click Here for information on dating Royal Worcester China by bottom marks which indicates that this piece was either produced by WPM/Jos Boeck in 1903. During this period Joseph Boeck was a leading artisan and teacher at WPM and much of his designed china is still in existence and highly prized Click here for information on Josep Boeck).

To further complicate matters the Imperial Austro-Hungarian Empire's Naval insignia of the Habsburg Crown and fouled anchor is very similar to the Royal Italian Navy's Crown of Savoy with fouled anchor! In fact, this plate was obtained by The Pirate's Lair in the collection of naval dinnerware found in an Italian estate sale! Could it be possible that in the late 1890's Austria's WPM/Jos Boeck designed the plate for the Royal Italian Navy and had Royal Gloucester of England produce it? See the silverplated goblets below to further complicate the provenance.

PRICE FOR THIS DINNER PLATE: $495.

Above photos illustrate an 1890's to 1910 Austro Hungarian Navy large size serving platter 17" x 11.5" in a similar design to the dinner plate with the gold and blue striping and KuK Crown with Fouled Anchor. However on this serving platter the entire crown-anchor insignia is in gold without the red in the crown. The bottom marks indicate that the producer was Josef Boeck of Wien like the dinner plate, however the marks show that it was not actually produced by WPM for Boeck as the dinner plate did.

Above photos illustrate another Austro Hungarian Navy dinner plate measuring almost 10" in the exact same pattern as both the large and medium size platters. This dinner plate is in a similar design to the dinner plate with the gold and blue striping and KuK Crown with Fouled Anchor. However on this dinner plate like the serving platters differ in that the entire crown-anchor insignia is in gold without the red in the crown.

The bottom mark for this dinner plate is an exact match as to the large serving platter indicating that the producer was Josef Boeck of Wien.

Above photos illustrate the Crown/Anchor Insignia and Bottom marks of a Medium Size Austro Hungarian Navy Serving Platter measuring 14.5" x 10.5" in the exact same pattern as both the large platter and dinner plate with all gold insignia. However note that the manufacturer of this medium size platter is by Pirkenhammer and not Josef Boeck. We have researched the Pirkenhammer hallmark used on this platter which was used from 1873 to 1918, which is in perfect historical alignment of the rise and fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire which broke apart in 1919 as a result of WWI. However this all clearly indicates that the KuK Naval pattern was standardized in the very late 19th and early 20th centuries with very stringent specifications which allowed the purchase of this dinnerware from multiple sources. Since it is documented that two similar but different crown/anchor insignias were issued to their naval forces this happened through an evolution of design or perhaps for different officer ranks.

Above photos illustrate the Crown/Anchor Insignia and bottom marks of a large dinner plate in absolutely perfect museum-quality investment-grade condition measuing 9.75" and heavy, durable. The KuK topmark is in the exact same pattern as both the large platter and previous dinner plate houwever the anchor is in blue along with part of the royal crown w/ the rope and inner part of crown in gold. The manufacturer of this large dinnerplate is by Pirkenhammer like the platter. We have researched the Pirkenhammer hallmark observed on this platter which was used by Pirkenhammer from 1873 to 1918, that is in perfect historical alignment of the rise and fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire which broke apart in 1919 as a result of WWI. Again, these plates, platter and below flatware all clearly indicate that the Austro-Hungarian Empires (KuK) Naval pattern was standardized in the very late 19th and early 20th centuries with relatively stringent specifications which allowed the purchase of this dinnerware from multiple sources. Since it is documented that three similar but different crown/anchor insignias were issued to their naval forces this happened through an evolution of design or perhaps for different officer ranks.

PRICE FOR THIS DINNER PLATE: $495.

The photo to the left illustrates a pair of Imperial Austro-Hungarian Naval silverplated Egg Cups or small Goblets. Note the Crown of Austria (House of Habsburgs which ruled Austria) located above the Fouled Anchor, production between 1891-1918..

The manufacturer of these two Imperial Austro-Hungarian Navy Egg Cups was the famous Berndorf Metalware Factory of Austria along with the word ALPACCA which was the trademark of the type of patented alloy or blend of metal which Berndoff used.

The name Berndorf with the encircled walking bear and ALPACCA trademark was only used between 1891-1930 which helps to date this piece. For a link to Berndorf Metalware of Austria silverplate marks, date codes, and historical information Click Here. Note that the Berndorf/Alapacca Mark used on the Egg Cups was only used between 1891-1930. Since the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dismantled in 1919 the piece could not be older than this, so a production date of 1891 to 1918 would be realistic.

The letter "U" most likely was engraved on the base of the two egg cups post-production by someone in the Austro-Hungarian Navy, possibly an Officer's initials, and we have no idea as to it's meaning. It could also mean Unter-seeboot or U-boat, but we shall never know.

For true historical purposes it should be noted that these two egg cups may also have belonged to the Royal Italian Navy since the Crown of Savoy and the Crown of the Hapsburgs were very similar, Berndorf had production facilities both in Austria and in Milan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and that as part of the WWI armistice the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dismantled and much of it's navy ships and materiel was turned over to Italy as war reparations.

Quite possibly we will never truly know which of the two navies these goblets actually belonged to, or perhaps to both of them!

Above photo's illustrate a late 1880's to 1918 Imperial Austro-Hungarian Navy large dinner spoon with the Austrian House of Habsburg Crown which is found engraved on the top back handle of the spoon. Photo to the left is of the back stem of the spoon showing the famous Arthur Krupp, Berndorf hallmark encircled with a Standing Bear. The 45 and 90 numbers represent the silverplate thickness and percent of silver in the silverplate.

This hallmark helps to date the spoon to be ca 1880's to 1918. There is also an "0" stamped into the plate below the anchor. We believe that this "O" found on this spoon as well as other similar silverplate represents the country "Osterreich" or Austria. Note the egg cup above which also has the engimatic letter "U" stamped into the base.

Small and rare collection of KuK Austro-Hungarian Empire Naval Flatware and Egg Cup. Forks, Large Spoon and Egg Cup are in what is termed "nickel silver" or alpacca". The smaller spoon is in a silverplate. All are in standard mid to late 19th century patterns. All are properly maker marked.

The forks have certainly been used as can be seen from the fork tines. Notice the tines on either end of the forks that are slightly more used than the middle two. This is from the European habit of using eating utensils, particularly forks, on their sides.

The forks measure a whopping 8 1/8", the large spoon is 7 3/4", the smaller spoon is 5 1/2" long.

Thank you for visiting and hopefully enjoying our photo-historical identification of the insignia, topmarks, hallmarks, and backstamps used on KuK Kriegsmarine dinnerware and tableware. However we also have some of these RARE items for purchase, and you can review what we have available by Clicking Here

The above photograph to the left illustrates the Imperial Austro-Hungarian Empire's naval insignia on a grave memorial while the photo to the right shows the Royal Italian Navy Maritime Magazine Cover dated 1904 illustrating the Savoy Crown with fouled anchor.

Of interest here between the KuK anchor on the grave marker and on the KuK dinnerware is the similarity and almost exact match of the peas (or tips) of all of the anchors. They all have the same stylized sharp jutting edges to them.

Please view the Italian Navy Regia Marina Militare web page for further insignia and topmark comparisons.

Thank you for visiting and hopefully enjoying our photo-historical identification of the insignia, topmarks, hallmarks, and backstamps used on KuK Kriegsmarine dinnerware and tableware. However we also have some of these RARE items for purchase, and you can review what we have available by Clicking Here

Of historical interest in the photo to the left is the Hungarian Empire's Crown of St. Stephen being displayed over a Fouled Anchor being used on an Oval Officer's Pin with the colors of the Austro-Hungarian Flag being shown in the background.

The Crown of St. Stephen is easily recognizable because it is tilted to the left! When the Austria and Hungary combined Empires they also combined their flags which were essentially the same color, and on the left hand side of the flag you will notice the Austrian Crown and on the right hand side of the flag you will see the Hungarian Crown of St. Stephen.

We are including this pin since it is very unusal to see a naval device specifically made for the Hungarian Navy which for intents and purposes became landlocked after the break up and dissolution in 1919 of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Below are links to other Antique Nautical and Naval Artifacts that may be of interest:

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