June 1886

King Ludwig was running out of swans. He had already installed the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus or Olor cygnus or Cygnus musicus: a Palaearctic cousin of the trumpeter swan) countless times as a door handle, a repetition that he was trying to avoid. Each of the door handles in the castle’s rooms needed to feature a different swan according to geography (of both swan and room). For example, a room in the eastern wing would be best suited to an eastern species of swan, such as the Polish mute swan (or Cygnus immutablis). Less vocal than other varieties, the mute swan is most commonly found in eastern Europe, and less commonly in Asia. There, however, it has been observed by experts on such matters that the mute swan is comparatively vicious in temperament. Completely white, it is often distinguished by its rust-coloured head. This was a feature re-created by handles cast from bronze and porcelain, ideal materials for matching the castle’s interior to the colour of the glorious waterbird.