Elisabeth of Austria, Empress of Austria-Hungary and queen of many hearts, is well known for her legendary passion for equestrian pursuits, a passion that occasionally bordered on the religious: A special equestrian chapel, open only to her fellow horse lovers, contained a collection of portraits of her favourite horses. Two items connected to the Empress' passion now provide a main focus of interest at the annual Dorotheum auction of Imperial Memorabilia on 6th June 2011.

A brooch belonging to the empress, given to her by Archduchess Marie Valerie, Sisi's favourite daughter, depicts one of her favourite horses (€ 6.000 - 9.000). For a long time, Elisabeth even maintained an exclusive stable of approximately 30 horses, all belonging to her. A pair of riding tights owned by the Austrian Empress, measuring a mere 50 cm at the waist, were originally made by Joh. P. Winkler, purveyor to the imperial and royal court, and retained by him as a memento. Ordered in 1889, the tights were never delivered following the Empress' assassination (€ 2.400 - 3.400). A rare bottle cooler engraved with a dolphin and the imperial crown, came from Sisi's travel service at the Achilleon (Corfu) (ca. 1893, € 4.000 - 6.000).

The descendants of Archduchess Marie Valerie provided a fan once used by Sisi after receiving it as a gift on her 47th birthday. Marie Valerie herself created some of the fan's lace décor. After the Empress' death the fan returned to the Archduchess' collection and now becomes available at this auction (estimate € 12.000 - 15.000).

Elisabeth's husband, Emperor Franz Joseph I, likewise contributes to the auction: A drawing by Franz Joseph's hand at the age of twelve depicts a race at a sketchy Bad Ischl racetrack (€ 1.800 - 2.800). Two letters by Katharina Schratt, the emperor's friend and confidant, show him in a more private light. One describes a stay at the spa of Karlsbad, hunting, the other talks about the health of his wife and a pain in his arm: "I was amused and touched by your wish that I should be massaged only by your hand" (each € 4.000 - 6.000).

The popular auction additionally offers personal presents, mementos, busts and portraits of Austrian and international nobility, ranging from curios to museum pieces.