{"product_id":"baden-karlsruhe-fidelitas-city-coat-of-arms-cast-metal-wall-plaque","title":"Baden Karlsruhe Fidelitas City Coat of Arms Cast-Metal Wall Plaque","description":"\u003cp\u003eA substantial German heraldic wall plaque displaying the historic Stadtwappen (city coat of arms) of Karlsruhe, the former capital of the Großherzogtum Baden (Grand Duchy of Baden). Executed as a heavy, raised cast-metal shield mounted to a shaped wooden backing, the plaque presents Karlsruhe's immediately recognizable red field crossed diagonally by a gold band bordered in white and bearing the word “FIDELITAS” in bold black Roman lettering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plaque measures approximately 10 inches high by 9 inches wide and weighs a substantial 3 1\/2 pounds. The raised heraldic face is formed in cast metal, although no maker's mark or indication of the precise alloy is observed. The individual colors have been applied to the relief surface, emphasizing the deep red shield, gold diagonal band, white bordering, and black lettering. Four slotted fasteners secure the metal shield to the dark-finished, shield-shaped wooden backing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse exposes the natural wood and retains a recessed metal hanging bracket secured near the upper center, allowing the substantial plaque to be displayed flat against a wall. The straightforward construction and considerable weight give the piece considerably more presence than the lighter ceramic and pressed-metal heraldic souvenirs commonly encountered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe inscription reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“FIDELITAS”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Latin word translates as “fidelity,” “faithfulness,” or “loyalty.” It is one of the defining symbols of Karlsruhe and connects the city's civic identity directly with the ruling House of Baden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKarlsruhe was founded in 1715 by Markgraf Karl Wilhelm von Baden-Durlach (Margrave Charles William of Baden-Durlach) around his newly constructed palace. Three years later, in 1718, Obervogt Johann von Günzer submitted the design for the new city's coat of arms to the Margrave. The motto FIDELITAS was associated with the Hausorden der Treue (House Order of Fidelity), which Karl Wilhelm had founded on the day Karlsruhe itself was established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe form of the arms evolved during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The white or silver edging surrounding the diagonal band was introduced in 1887, and in 1895 Karlsruhe's municipal archival commission standardized the colors in accordance with the original eighteenth-century concept: a red shield with a gold diagonal band, bordered in white, carrying FIDELITAS in black capital letters. This is the heraldic arrangement represented on the present plaque.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat 1895 standardization is particularly relevant to Imperial German collectors because Karlsruhe was then the capital of the Grand Duchy of Baden, one of the constituent states of the German Empire. Under Grand Duke Friedrich I and later Friedrich II, Karlsruhe served as Baden's political, administrative, military, and cultural center. Its city arms therefore appear throughout material associated with the Grand Duchy and continued to serve as Karlsruhe's civic emblem after the fall of the monarchy in 1918.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plaque itself is undated, and the continued use of the same Karlsruhe arms after the Imperial period prevents a responsible attribution to a specific manufacturing era solely from the heraldic design. It should therefore be regarded as a German Karlsruhe civic heraldic plaque rather than represented as an Imperial-period artifact without further provenance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition is very good overall, with the character expected from an older decorative piece. The painted cast surface retains strong color and excellent visual contrast. There is scattered light rubbing, surface abrasion, minor paint loss, small nicks, and areas of unevenness to the red field, together with limited wear along portions of the white border and gold diagonal band. The raised black FIDELITAS lettering remains particularly strong. The dark wooden mounting plaque shows normal edge and surface wear, while the reverse retains age toning, handling marks, and its hanging hardware. No maker's mark is observed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its large scale, substantial 3 1\/2-pound construction, strong original heraldic presentation, and direct association with Karlsruhe and the historic Grand Duchy of Baden, this is an appealing piece of German regional décor for a collection devoted to Baden, Imperial German states, municipal heraldry, or historic German home and institutional furnishings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50633429680367,"sku":"18-140","price":125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/9169\/5855\/files\/18-140_1.jpg?v=1787949759","url":"https:\/\/derrittmeister.com\/products\/baden-karlsruhe-fidelitas-city-coat-of-arms-cast-metal-wall-plaque","provider":"Derrittmeister Militaria Group","version":"1.0","type":"link"}