While walking through the streets of the Austrian city of Retz I came across this impressive emblem. I found it on a former industrial hall. It displayed the Imperial Eagle of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court
Why is there an Imperial Eagle on an abandoned brick hall? The answer gives the ghost sign below the emblem. It reads “k.u.k. Hoflieferant”. This writing indicates that the owner of this hall was a Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court. Only a few companies with products of high quality were given this title.
If you come to Austria, you should search for the German title “k.u.k. Hoflieferant”. You find them on shop signs in Vienna and several other Austrian cities. Even though this title hasn’t had any legal relevance since 1918, the owners are still proud to be one of the selected companies many years ago.
Sources / More info
- Link Description of a kaiserlicher und königlicher Hoflieferant on Wikipedia