[Elaborately calligraphed birthday greeting to Otto von Bismarck]

1895. Full leather folder. Near fine.. Quarto. Single sheet of white vellum folded, with calligraphy in colors and liquid gold on the first and third pages, the others blank. Text in German. Loosely bound in tooled brown pigskin covering wooden boards, metal corner bosses, moire silk doublures. Just a touch of rubbing to the folder extremities, faint mostly marginal foxing to leaf.

Sumptuous salute to Prussian statesman on his 80th birthday, five years after he resigned as chancellor of Germany, and three years before his death. This large congratulatory document was one of 450,000 letters and cards sent to Bismarck to celebrate his birthday, (truncated) an event which cemented his legendary status in German history for his role in the founding of the Reich: One of the most significant manifestations of the gradual change in public perceptions of the Iron Chancellor were the celebrations in honor of Bismarcks 80th birthday in 1895. The 80th birthday celebration, which this document commemorates, cemented Bismarcks changing role in historical perceptions of his leadership. (Inventory #: 5983285)