At “Smith’s Museum and Tavern” – A Few of the Newer Additions.

January 2015

see all info on new page: “The City of Dresden’s Green Vault’s Bacchus Ivory stein and its Offshots”    [New 1-26-2015]

 

Late November -2014  ▼

 

 

 A massive (13 inch tall)  Rorstrand (Sweden) relief porcelain “later day display” tankard with classical Roman scene. But more than likely made to be a communal wedding present .these are usually  made out of wood. (see notes on this custom on .???????????  page ?????:

Early  November 2014  ▼  ▼

Large Bohemian copper server.  Ca. late 1600’s with a fantastic rendition of a Bartmann face as its spout.

Spring 2014

Hand crafted from one piece of wood, this  bird is only 8 inches tall [FWTD]

Description posted on the web when this was sold:  Owl with real glass eyes, lined inside with pitch Approx . 205mm high and approx . 115mm diameter on base . Some signs of age and usage are visible. Wood has no cracks or heavy damage .He has received the pitcher many years ago (before 1945) of a war buddy . According to its description, it is the pitcher from Silesia and was probably made ​​in the 1910s. The pitcher stood for many years in his office in a showcase. Probably a memento from the First World War.

September 2013- January 2014 ►

On the left Another massive Bohemian copper server with no relief décor. just utilitarian as it’s cousin next to it. See photo  just below of their use.   These two now flank the  cupboard bottom that displays some of my larger copper pieces.

A small beer server brass and bone  – The body has many small cut and exactly sized camel [?] bone tablets attached to a solisd brass body by glue and not  small brass pin sas it appears !  They are pin heads only, for decorative reason only I assume?  It does makes an interesting display. The above stein’s  age and origin is unknown at this time I am inclined to think (SWAG) that tis comes from Morocco  or Southern Spain , about 100 to 50  years ago. . It is 5.5 inches tall

 

November   2013 – January 2014 ▼

I bought the above piece an old  German [?] French   [?] Walnut [?} Hall tree / coat rack in Denver the first part of  November  2013 when I was out visiting with my grandkids  and  kids.  The above ▲ didn’t get here until mid- January 2014, I had bought it for an additional pewter stein display BUT the damn thing wouldn’t go through the door to the “pewter” room as the base was too long ( I missed that measurement entirely.)  So I had to go to plan “B”  which the photos below show the progression of that plan, meaning  I had to unload everything ,  move the stowed  steins to a safe locale, move the affected display furniture all around the bottom floor – thankfully not up the steps ! Then reload all the steins into their new locations.   It took a whole week, But I am very happy with the outcome.

This 1500’s heavily carved wooden cabinet  made in Brabant (modern day Belgium) in the  1500’s ▲ has now displaced the 1500 Italian cabinet (a taller piece) that was in  the foyer and relegated it to the pewter room where it acquired several of the 1700’s  Swiss or South German  wine severs which almost  everyone who come to my home calls “tea pots!!” .see photo, now two down ▼. 

Oh —- I also found out in April 2014  that the the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York city has a carved Brabant cabinet by the same maker as my little bar shown above!!  DAMN I LOVE THIS HOBBY.

 Photo compliments of  the Met Mus. of Aert  New York City -their accessible web site photos

 

Thi , thecarved wooden 1500’s Italian cabinet, coming from the foyer took over the space where I had my little stained glass doors cabinet with my collection of 1600’s German “roerkens:” displayed. My pewter “tea pots” o n top; This  photo shows the small collection of  small [table size] German Westerwald personal stoneware wine servers. 

 If one hasn’t read the page yet,  see this page for the explanation of what these were used for: 

please see: http://www.steveonsteins.com/1-3

These little guys are not the first things one sees when entering the “Pewter Room” any longer but these six out of seven early 1600’s roerkens still make a nice display on the same wall but  further away from the entrance door.(the odd ball is an dated 1813s puzzle stein roerken (Germ: vexerkrug)  

The pewter room’s “Black Forest ” (really Swiss) carved bear, hall  tree / coat rack  c 1840 -60, now used as a “Mug Rack.” That is a 2 liter  [?] Lichtinger’s  (Munich) pewter and glass beer server sitting in the carved out section for the brass pan [now missing.)

 The biggest display in the Pewter Room shows mostly the very tall northern Germany’s pewter  peg tankards on the top shelf  and a bunch of variously  dated wood and pewter steins called  Daubenkrugs on the lower front shelf. .

See these pages for more information on the above :

http://www.steveonsteins.com/pass-cups-2-the-pegged-tankards

http://www.steveonsteins.com/wooden-steins-1-2

 

December.2013 . This is an authentic shoe / boot makers guild member’s personal  drinking boot. Engraved date of 1757!  9.5 inches  tall and foot is 7.5 inches  long . Fully marked with old marks, both city and pewtersmith’s. It was advertised as being from the late 180o’s; when asked about that date, the USA stein dealer said “well it looked like it  to him !” [Gotta love it when that happens .]

 December – 2013.  The carving on this Black Forest pokal and cocver if absolutrrly fantastic.  9 inches tall and probably C. 1850, this one cost an arm and both legs  but I think it was worth it as I am almost certain  I will never see another done as well.

 

November – 2013  – One of the “BFS.!” A pegged pewter  tankard  from Bremen Germany  c. late 17900s.  Can you imagine sitting at a table and drinking 11 inches worth of beer??

November.   2013  – Pictured here   ▲  ▲ are some of the  “BLACK FOREST  carved wooden wall mounts that I bought  in Denver on my one week stay that lasted for 2.5 months.!  I Could not go home I kept finding stuff I” needed” for S M & T .  Below are two  the other reasons I decided to stay for so long. ▼

 

August 2013  ▼ four new glass vessels  for “FROM WHICH TO DRINK”” all purchased at one shop on the www.

 

 For info on two other cased and gilded roemers as the 2nd from the left  ▲ see the page : http://www.steveonsteins.com/josephinenhutte-glass-drinking-vessels-at-the-s-m-t-draft-3-30  The enameled Server on the far left is a Theresienthal [for more of these  please see: http://www.steveonsteins.com/theresienthal-glass-steins-photo-examples-1-2]

April – 2013.

 

BACK TO PEWTER AGAIN ! A  pair of massive pewter flagons from  Normandy, France. Late 1600’s! [L] 18 in tall to top of lid and [R] 16.5inches , each with a one inch shell thumblift, and in not too bad a shape after 4o0 years.  These are heavy as is; Full of wine each would be a challenge to pour out of. Great additions to my pewter pieces I think.

January 2013 – Magdeburg stein, new in “FWTD”,

For more of this factory, see: http://www.steveonsteins.com/guest-writers-articles-identifing-faience-eng-steins-part-6-magdaburg-fayence-germ-beer-steins-by-william-hamer-1

Summer   2013 – This 13.6 inch [!!] server was not advertised as being made by, or marked “MWFKK”,  (Munchner Werkstatten fur Keramische Kunst) but it is so marked!  on the bottom. Shown here larger than other examples as it is massive. The roundel on its front supposedly shows an old Duke of Wurttemberg.

For more of this factory, see: http://www.steveonsteins.com/majolica-english-type-or-lead-glazed-drinking-vessels-from-the-munchner-werkstatten-fur-keramische-kunst-the-munich-workshop-for-pottery-artwork

Spring – 2013 – A beautiful 2 liter German cut glass, star patterned beer server. 12  Inches tall. Circa 1872 -75. Spread eagle thumblift. [FWTD,  new 12-12]

A miniature 18th century Dutch, 3.3 inches tall, silver windmill wager cup, dated 1751. A true date.

Silver quality mark is a ’10’ = .625 silver. [FWTD, new in 12-12]

For more on these type cups / beakers please see: http://www.steveonsteins.com/windmill-cups-these-are-wager-cups-new-8-25-2012

New, June  2012.  A “get well” present to myself, Bohemian, circa 1850.

A .5 liter Bohemian ruby stained, cut to clear, on a blown clear glass body. This type design has never been seen before by me and all my glass collecting friends. Besides the two engraved faces above and below the cartouche there are 15 other faces of people or animals on each side of the stein. Hopefully the photos (maybe blown up) will show the detail. 

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Six engraved jester heads are on the lid

I darkened and cropped this photo so one can see the eyes of the two faces more clearly. If one looks closely one will see two animal heads to the top right of the two faces, one under the owl, and one more at the 9 o’clock position top the left of the heads. A bird’s beak is to the far right bottom by the handle and another face, with big nose and mouth on the bottom center. There are more,  just not visible.

 

A  1 liter, cut clear glass stein from Sweden. Circa 1750.

The large “O’s”  are actually cut concave circles about the size of one’s thumb. A very unusual pattern of interconnecting vines and smaller circles. The handle is different, having a smaller flattened center section and the handle shape is a perfect “C.” [FWTD 10-2012]

I purchased both these Westerwald stoneware steins within one month of each other; August and September 2011.

Top: .5 liters and made about 1690. Bottom: .5 liter. Circa  1680-90. Both have pewter “shell” thumblifts, common for that time period. 

2 Liter Porcelain;  like a Pate-sur-pate, but real thin hand applied porcelain relief. August 2011 at Renninger’s (Penn.), outside. Gambrinus on his barrel as center scene with “gnomie”s on the sides. Maker unknown at present.  

Acquired June 2011 – A beautiful ,5 liter mouth blown, clear glass stein with enameling of “Hops and Maltz” with applied clear glass “reverse teardrops.” Comes with a silver plated lid with seven mounted old coins and a mounted coin as a thumblift. Theresienthal glashütte most likely. Circa 1885.

Bought 6-4-2011.  If you know the name of this type vessel, then you should be nominated for a SCI’s Master Steinologist’s award. This is the second example the S M & T  has been lucky enough to find recently here in the States. Below is the other one, much larger,

Schraubkanne / Schraubflasche: 

Please see more: http://www.steveonsteins.com/schraubkanne-schraubflasche-in-the-s-m-t

   

6-1-2011.  Two half liter blown cut glass steins, Silesian or Bohemian, Circa 1830-40. Made for the same person. One inscribed with his name. I am glad they stayed together all these years and that I can now care for them.

A small pewter stein from Ostfriesland; North Western Germany, on the North Sea, just east of the Netherlands. Even though this one is smaller than most; most are at least 10 inches tall); it still comes equipped with pewter “pegs” on the inside.

See: “Some history on Peg tankards” on page: http://www.steveonsteins.com/wooden-steins-1

 

A “Schnapps / brandy” dispenser. At 7.5 inches tall to the lid, this barrel is  smaller than that 1740’s one shown further below. Comes with the original brass spigot – and it works. Hallmarked: Nurnberg,  to mid 1700’s.

Another great one half liter blown glass stein with a blown glass half ball insert into the lid, produced at the Theresienthal ‘glashutte.’ See: http://www.steveonsteins.com/theresienthal-glass-steins-photo-examples-1-3

It comes with pewter mounts by G.Th.M. and their own gargoyle thumblift. 

See: http://www.steveonsteins.com/unusual-stein-thumblifts-1-3

Late October 2010 – I’m now working on cleaning this Pre-revolutionary Russian copper and brass “Pass cup,” which I bought off eBay. For more info on how to clean metal steins in your collection, please see:

http://www.steveonsteins.com/how-i-clean-old-copper-brass-pewter-and-silver-10-20

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The above, the finished polished piece with another smaller Russian “pass cup.”  The camera was too close and produced too much glarebut one can get the idea.

 

[L] .800 silver German: A shooting prize for the 55th Infantry Brigade in 1901. [R]  Bavarian copper with a brass head, no inscription, unknown maker. Both were bought in September 2010, to make  my “Adler” serving stein collection now up to three!

 

My prior “Adler” stein = “Kayserzinn” pewter, No. 4015.  It was in the collection previously, and is the reason I “needed” the other two.

About a half liter World War One “hand made” copper military stein named to a  German Pionier who fought in France in 1916 (inscribed.) Great engraving. Heavy too.

 

This shows an artillery shell’s “copper rifling strip” used as decor on the handle and all around the body (photo was taken before cleaning.)

Silver mounts, about 6 ” tall , 9″  wide. No Marks. Uncertain of the exact age, as of this date (11-11). If that is a bird’s head and not a dragon’s (which I think it is) it gives a clue to the area of origin being closer to Russia than say Denmark, as the Varangians (the Vikings that went East through the Baltic Sea, and not West to the North Sea) used carved birds on the their ships’ figureheads, while the Vikings used dragons. I bought this off a collector’s sales table at the 2010 SCI Convention. Great silver chasing and engraving on the mounts with their Celtic designs of intertwined sea snakes / water dragons.

 

A  great enameled one half liter blown glass stein, produced at the Theresienthal glass hut (see http://www.steveonsteins.com/theresienthal-glass-steins-the-guide on this web site. The thumblift is a (scarce) mermaid drinking from a mug. Purchased through the courtesy of “Thirsty Knight Antiques.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A “chilly” anyone? Just add ice cubes and you have a great copper drinking vessel! Terrific for the outside summertime and not having to go to the frig every 10 minute for a cold one. This is actually a German/ Bohemian / middle Europe, copper hat mold. Ca. 1800 -1850! It was hand made from large sheets of copper scraps by a great copper-smith and has well done dove-tailing throughout the piece as well as a twisted rim for extra strength.

A very large made in Copenhagen pewter tankard given as a shooting fest prize in 1770. The town of the shoot, “Borrgstedt,” was in Denmark at the time; later transferred to Germany after the 1864 war. This steins stands 10.5 inches tall to the top of the lid, one of the tallest “peg tankards” I’ve ever seen. It was probably the first prize as pewter was very expensive back then.

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Detail of the Master and Town marks of above, and the wear to the hinge assembly; always a good thing to see on old dated steins as most reproduction makers don’t take the time to fake that kind of wear.

 

A beautifully engraved pewter wine flask (called a “Schraubflasche” in German), 10 inches tall to the top of screw-on lid [x] 6.5 inches wide. The front is engraved with the newlyweds’ initials and the date 1694. The reverse show the  engraved  Holy Roman Empire’s double headed eagle, so the new owners must have lived in Austria even though the jug was made by the Master pewter-smith E. Güntzer in Regensburg, Germany. (See Battenberg’s “ZINN”, page 106, illus. 129  for an almost identical piece.) This was found in Richmond’s West End Antique Mall in early 2010 and it wasn’t cheap, but then try to find another one. See: http://www.steveonsteins.com/schraubkanne-schraubflasche-in-the-s-m-t

Detail of lid and ornately casted dragon-heads handle.

Last year sometime, (2011) while at a GK-AA auction, I got into “a bidding war” with another collector of the same name, who wanted to buy this  “Jungfrauecher” for his wife. Well I won, but at a substantial price! BUT it is the tallest silver wedding cup I have ever seen! Mine is a whooping 18.5 inches! Shown above next to a mini wedding cup that would have been given to  members of a wedding party.

Julia and I used it at our wedding in September of 2012. Below:

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Above: Rau’s .800 silver wedding cup. Even the one for sale at Rau’s in New Orleans is not as tall as this one. Shown to the right: 14 inches and $9675.00 last price listed [9-08.]

A large pewter “Occupational” schnapps /brandy barrel, used for after dinner schnapps, etc. at the still unknown city of this Brewer’s Guild Hall. Dated 1740. 

 

The end piece of the barrel showing the names of the four members of the Brewers Guild that gave the barrel to their guild in 1740. The saying around the top is the typical one of the times for most occupational pieces: “Long live the handiwork of the Brewers!”

Far end of brandy barrel showing the Brewer’s Guild symbol,  from a  still unknown city. I found this little gem on a day trip to the Shenandoah Valley for all of $263.00!” Even a blind dog gets a bone once in awhile!”

The pewter beer stein shown [two below] is called a “vexer-krug” in German, or as we call them “Puzzle Steins.” The piece itself is not new, but the information I just derived from translating the inscriptions is.

This additional knowledge happened recently when fellow beer stein collector and dealer Judy Stuart ( http://www.thirstyknight.com/ ) and I were discussing the relative merits and demerits of the green glass pokal shown just below. Advertised for sale on eBay in November 2010 for $2,850.00, (Still there 3-2013) the piece shows an enameled  cartouche with5 separate occupational “Guild” symbols.  We both thought this was highly unusual. Judy, just back from a trip to Corning Museum of Glass, and the  exhibition on Medieval Glass, was even more suspicious of it’s date [1658] than I was. (The date was on the piece in the photo and in the description of it, BUT not in the eBay title!)

[eBay seller’s photo]

I remembered I had a piece somewhere in the collection that showed at least two ‘Guild’ symbols on it so I went to search. Didn’t take long; there is was 5 feet away from me and my computer table.

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My small 1815 roerken puzzle-stein (“vexerkrug”) has what are two occupations shown engraved on the front of it, = It says on the top in engraving: “SchlosSer und Schmide Gesil Tlir Rohriken.”  This means: [The] Lock-smith and Black-smith’s ‘fellowship’ Roerken. Two names are on the front with their titles on both sides of the tools. One says ‘Shop Master’, the other ‘Senior Journeyman.’

So this ends up that this is from one Black-smith’s shop, probably to be given full of beer to any new customers when they came into the shop. “A welcome cup (stein),” so to speak! A super scarce piece; ]1] It is from the early 1800’s, [2]  it is in a roerken form, [3] it is a “Vexerkrug” and, [4] it is an occupational stein, [5] it is a “Welcome cup” (stein)!

 

I have a good lead on this pewter collection; it is somewhere in South-East Washington DC!

(For those readers that do not live in the “Delmarva” area; that is supposed to be a joke!)

[END – SOK – 49 – 4D   & very partial R5]

  “I always take life with a grain of salt, plus a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila.”

 

Steve’s note @2 -2014  I’m re-doing  this page to show oldest first with latest additions on the bottom – have patience or just start at the bottom of above and work your way up.!!

 

The pewter beer stein shown [two below] is called a “vexer-krug” in German, or as we call them “Puzzle Steins.” The piece itself is not new, but the information I just derived from translating the inscriptions is.

This additional knowledge happened recently when fellow beer stein collector and dealer Judy Stuart ( http://www.thirstyknight.com/ ) and I were discussing the relative merits and demerits of the green glass pokal shown just below. Advertised for sale on eBay in November 2010 for $2,850.00, (Still there 3-2013) the piece shows an enameled  cartouche with5 separate occupational “Guild” symbols.  We both thought this was highly unusual. Judy, just back from a trip to Corning Museum of Glass, and the  exhibition on Medieval Glass, was even more suspicious of it’s date [1658] than I was. (The date was on the piece in the photo and in the description of it, BUT not in the eBay title!)

[eBay seller’s photo]

I remembered I had a piece somewhere in the collection that showed at least two ‘Guild’ symbols on it so I went to search. Didn’t take long; there is was 5 feet away from me and my computer table.

.

My small 1815 roerken puzzle-stein (“vexerkrug”) has what are two occupations shown engraved on the front of it, = It says on the top in engraving: “SchlosSer und Schmide Gesil Tlir Rohriken.”  This means: [The] Lock-smith and Black-smith’s ‘fellowship’ Roerken. Two names are on the front with their titles on both sides of the tools. One says ‘Shop Master’, the other ‘Senior Journeyman.’ So this ends up that this is from one Black-smith’s shop, probably to be given full of beer to any new customers when they came into the shop. “A welcome cup (stein),” so to speak! A super scarce piece; ]1] It is from the early 1800’s, [2]  it is in a roerken form, [3] it is a “Vexerkrug” and, [4] it is an occupational stein, [5] it is a “Welcome cup” (stein)!