![Hoher Markt Vienna Sept 2006 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Hoher_Markt_Vienna_Sept_2006_001.jpg)
An Imperial and Royal Warrant of Appointment () during the
Austro-Hungarian Empire was issued to vendors who supplied goods or services to the Austrian imperial court in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
and/or the Hungarian royal court in
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
. The warrant was normally an official document, which enabled the supplier to advertise the fact and thus lend itself prestige.
Suppliers continued to charge for their goods and services. The application process took years and was given only to those deemed of the highest quality to be worth to receive the honour upon personal approval of the monarch. The warrant was typically advertised on company letter-heads and products by displaying the
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
or the
heraldic badge of the imperial eagle. Underneath the coat of arms would usually appear the phrase "''k.u.k. Hoflieferant''", which translates into English as "Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court". Depending on where the supplier was located within the dual monarchy, it could be adapted into the local language such as "''Ces. i Król. dostawca Dworu''" in Polish, "''C. a k. dvorní dodavatel''" in Czech, or "''Fornitore di corte imperiale e reale''" in Italian.
The warrant was initially given to the owners of a company or a tradesperson, not the company itself. Only later were entire companies given the warrant.
The warrant was given as a supplier for the overall court. However personal suppliers to the emperor or the empress were given a higher warrant as "''k.u.k. Kammerlieferant''", which translates as "Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Chamber". It was possible for a supplier to receive both warrant forms for exceptional quality of services and goods.
Warrant holders
Some warrant holders were from abroad.
Companies in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States received the honour including
Nathaniel Wheeler
Nathaniel Wheeler (b. Watertown, Litchfield county., Connecticut, September 7, 1820; d. Bridgeport, December 31. 1893) was an American manufacturer and legislator.
The photographs of the Wheeler Mansion on this page are actually photographs of ...
for his sewing machines,
Charles Lewis Tiffany
Charles Lewis Tiffany (February 15, 1812 – February 18, 1902) was an American businessman and jeweler who founded New York City's Tiffany & Co. in 1837. Known for his jewelry expertise, Tiffany created the country's first retail catalog and ...
,
William Steinway
William Steinway, also known as Wilhelm Steinway (born Wilhelm Steinweg; March 5, 1835 – November 30, 1896), son of Steinway & Sons founder Henry E. Steinway, was a businessman and civic leader who was influential in the development of Astoria, ...
and
Steinway & Sons,
Royal Worcester
Royal Worcester is a porcelain brand based in Worcester, England. It was established in 1751 and is believed to be the oldest or second oldest remaining English porcelain brand still in existence today, although this is disputed by Royal Crown De ...
,
Pim Brothers & Co. in Dublin,
Peek Freans,
Liverpool Vienna Bakery Kirkland Brothers,
Liebig's Extract of Meat Company
Liebig's Extract of Meat Company, established in the United Kingdom, was the producer of LEMCO brand Liebig's Extract of Meat and the originator of Oxo meat extracts and Oxo beef stock cubes. It was named after Baron Justus von Liebig, the 1 ...
,
Thomas Hine & Co.,
Hancocks & Co in London,
Hammond & Co., and
Elkington & Co.
Companies from France were, for example,
Christofle & Co.,
Courvoisier
Courvoisier () is a brand of cognac, with production based in the town of Jarnac in the Charente region of France. It is the youngest and smallest of the "big four" cognac houses (the others are Hennessy, Rémy Martin, and Martell).
Courvo ...
,
Kunkelmann & Comp.,
L.A. Levesque,
Moët & Chandon
Moët & Chandon (), also known simply as Moët, is a French fine winery and co-owner of the luxury goods company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE. Moët et Chandon is one of the world's largest champagne producers and a prominent champa ...
,
G.H. Mumm & Comp.,
Perrier-Jouët
Perrier-Jouët () is a Champagne producer based in the Épernay region of Champagne. The house was founded in 1811 by Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose Adélaide Jouët, and produces both vintage and non-vintage '' cuvee'', approximately 3,000,000 ...
& Comp.,
Pol Roger
Pol Roger is a producer of champagne. The brand is still owned and run by the descendants of Pol Roger. Located in the town of Épernay in the Champagne region, the house annually produces around 110,000 cases of Champagne.K. Gargett, P. Forr ...
& Comp.,
Rémy Martin
Rémy Martin () is a French firm that primarily produces and sells cognac. Founded in 1724 and based in the commune of Cognac, it is among the oldest cognac producers still in existence. and one of the "big four" cognac houses (along with Henne ...
,
Louis Roederer,
Rogée-Fromy,
Café Angelina previously
Rumpelmayer,
Walbaum, Goulden & Co.,
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin () is a Champagne house founded in 1772 and based in Reims. It is one of the largest Champagne houses. Madame Clicquot is credited with major breakthroughs, creating the first known vintage champagne in 1810, and ...
and
Grégory Bajot.
To this date, certain brands preserve and use this title. In Vienna, there is a dozen of them, such as A.E. Köchert,
Ch. Demel's Söhne / Demel,
Fischer / Herend, J. & L. Lobmeyr,
Pauly Beds / J. Pauly & Sohn, Resch Gustav / Albin Denk, Stiebitz Franz Joseph / Zum Schwarzen Kameel, Stollwerck and Knize & Comp.
See also
*
Brand management
In marketing, brand management begins with an analysis on how a brand is currently perceived in the market, proceeds to planning how the brand should be perceived if it is to achieve its objectives and continues with ensuring that the brand is pe ...
*
List of royal warrant holders of the British royal family
*
List of Royal Warrant Holders of the Swedish court
*
Royal warrant of appointment
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to tradespeople who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The royal warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the issuer of ...
*
Therese Mirani
Bibliography
* Joachim Kronsbein. ''„Haben gewählt?“: Wiens Hoflieferanten pflegen die Nostalgie''. In: Spiegel Geschichte, 6/2009. Die Habsburger: Aufstieg und Fall der mächtigsten Familie Europas.
* Catharina Christ: ''Jüdische k. und k. Hoflieferanten in der Textilbranche mit Niederlassung in Wien in der Zeit von 1870 bis 1938''. Dipl.-Arb., Vienna: University, 2000
* Ingrid Haslinger: ''Kunde – Kaiser. Die Geschichte der ehemaligen k. u. k. Hoflieferanten''. Schroll, Vienna 1996, .
* János Kalmár, Mella Waldstein: ''K.u.k. Hoflieferanten Wiens''. Stocker, Graz 2001, .
External links
{{commons category-inline, Purveyors to the Imperial and Royal Court
Companies of Austria-Hungary