The medallion bears a portrait of Grand Duke Carl Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, adorned with the grand-ducal Order of the White Falcon, founded in 1732 and renewed in 1815. The edge of the medallion is fluted to achieve a greater contrast in the engraving. Dominik Biemann is considered one of the best, if not the best Glass engraver of all time. He specialized in portraits. Unlike virtually any other he was able to reproduce textile qualities, such as the felt of a cloak, and even under the microscope some details still look accurate. Biemann was trained in Harrachov in northern Bohemia and subsequently worked in places including the west Bohemian spa town Franzensbad, where he made portraits of guests of the spa. However, from around 1850 the rapid spread of photography took away his livelihood, for it meant that lifelike portraits could be produced instantaneously, whereas Glass engraving required very great time and effort. (Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk)