EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH 1 OF AUSTRIA 1902 FOOT WASHING JUG

A TURQUOISE-GREEN GLAZED STONEWARE JUG USED IN EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH 1 OF AUSTRIAS ANNUAL FOOT WASHING CEREMONY OF 1902.

THE 12 POOR COMMONERS CHOSEN FOR THE FOOT WASHING CEREMONY WERE SERVED FOOD AND DRINKS IN THESE JUGS TO BE TAKEN HOME.

THIS PARTICULAR JUG GIVEN TO ONE SUCH COMMONER IN THE 1902 FOOT WASHING CEREMONY FOUND ITS WAY TO SOUTH AFRICA AND WAS BOUGHT BY MY MOM IN A THRIFT SHOP EARLIER THIS YEAR.

ONLINE RESEARCH YIELDED CLEAR PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE THAT THIS JUG IS EXCACTLY SIMILAR TO THOSE USED IN THSE FOOTWASHING CEREMONIES PLEASE SEE PHOTO ATTACHED.

I AM ALSO HOPEFULLY MADE EMAIL CONTACT WITH A SPECIALIST IN ANTIQUITIES IN VIENNA AUSTRIA DR GEORGE LUDWIGSTORFF AND AWAIT HIS CONFIRMATION REGARDING THS JUG. PLEASE ALSO SEE PHOTOS OF SIMILAR JUGS SOLD ONLINE WHERE HE WAS LISTED AS A SPECIALIST.
 
THE JUG FEATURES A HAND PAINTED IMPERIAL DOUBLE EAGLE ON GOLD BACKGROUND.

THE DOUBLE-HEADED EAGLE IS  ARMED AND CROWNED AND HOLDING A SWORD IN DEXTER CLAW AND AN ORB IN SINISTER CLAW.
ALL BENEATH THE IMAGE OF EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH STANDING WITH LEGS APART ON TOP.

ABOVE IT ALL A LETTER STRIP CARTOUCHE INSCRIBED BAND "F. J. I. D. G. A. J. B. R. ETC. AC. AP. R. H. 1902".

NOT SURE WHAT ALL THE LETTERS MEAN BUT ONLINE SEARCH CLEARLY INDICATES IT IS ATTRIBUTED TO EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH 1 FROM AUSTRIA.
 
FRANCIS JOSEPH 1 (1830 1916):
FRANZ JOSEPH I  WAS EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA, KING OF HUNGARY AND VARIOUS OTHER STATES FROM 2 DECEMBER 1848 UNTIL HIS DEATH ON 21 NOVEMBER 1916. 
HE WAS THE LONGEST RULER OF THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE.
Franz was the emperor of Austria from 1848-1916 and the king of Hungary from 1867-1916, and ruled for 68 years.
HE WAS MARRIED TO ELISABETH OF AUSTRIA.
FRANZ MARRIED ELISABETH VON WITTELSBACH, COMMONLY KNOWN AS "SISSI" FEATURED IN TE NEW NETFILX SERIES THE EMPRESS.
FRANZ WAS CROWNED KING OF HUNGARY IN 1867.
FRANZ'S NEPHEW AND HEIR WAS FRANZ FERDINAND.
Franz Joseph and Elisabeth's only son, Rudolph, died in 1889.
As a result, Franz's nephew, Franz Ferdinand, became the next heir to the throne.
THE ASSASSINATION OF FRANZ FERDINAND IN BOSNIA SPARKED WORLD WAR I.
 
FOOT WASHING CEREMONY:
Since 1850, Franz Joseph participated in the traditional Habsburg Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony, part of the four-day court observance of Easter.
The master of the staff chose twelve poor elderly men and positioned them in the ceremonial hall on a raised dais.
There, before an invited audience observing the scene, the emperor served the men a symbolic meal and archdukes cleared the dishes.
As a priest read aloud in Latin the words of the New Testament (John 13:5), And he began to wash the feet of the disciples, Franz Joseph knelt and, without rising from his knees, washed the feet of the twelve old men in imitation of Christ.
Finally, the emperor placed a bag of twenty silver coins around the necks of each before the men were led away and returned to their homes in imperial coaches.
 
Size: 18CM HIGH 16CM WIDE UP TO HANDLE 13CM DIAMETER BULGE 9,5CM DIAMETER RIM
 
CONDITION: ONE CHIP NEAR BOTTOM. SOME FADED PAINT LOSS TO ARTWORK.
 
REGARDING SHIPPING: AS THIS IS AN HISTORIC ITEM INTERNATIONAL BUYERS ARE WELCOME TO BID. PAYMENT CAN BE RECEIVED VIA PAYPAL AND SHIPPING WILL BE VIA FEDEX (PLEASE ASK FOR A QUOTE AFTERWARDS).