The imperial government commissioned local goldsmith Hermeling to create the centrepiece “Father Rhine” for 16,000 Reichsmarks as a symbol of German gold smithing for the World’s Fair in Paris. Local families Joest and Deichmann then acquired it for another 45,000 Reichsmarks and gifted it to the city. It would remain unparalleled in its combination of symbolism and national importance. But taste is subjective…