A lock of hair from the head of an infant Emperor Franz Joseph I is expected to auction for $693-1,386 at Dorotheum's sale of Imperial Court Memorabilia in Vienna on April 30.
Take a look at our superb collection of genuine hair from some of the most famous names in history.
![]() The lock of hair was taken from Franz Joseph when he was a boy |
A mourning handkerchief bearing the emperor's monogram is also offered with an estimate of $1,386-1,940.
It will be sold alongside an autographed note from the Franz Joseph's valet, Eugene Ketterl, who was given official permission to trade in "discarded imperial objects".
The emperor ruled Austria between 1848 and 1916.
The assassination of his nephew, the archduke Franz Ferdinand, in Sarajevo in 1914 led to a declaration of war against Serbia - activating a network of alliances that led to the first world war.
July 28 of this year will mark 100 years since the war began.
There are a number of lots in the sale that pertain to Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who famously survived one assassination attempt on the morning of June 28, 1914 only to be killed less than an hour later when his car stalled near one of the conspirators.
These include a cigarette lighter ($970-1,386) and case ($1,386-2,772) and an album of photographs taken in India in 1893 ($2,772-4,158).
We have an exciting selection of memorabilia available.
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