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From: cbeekman@aol.com
Remote Name: 172.192.164.75
I am hoping for some help in identifying the time period and region of manufacture for a stein I bought recently in an antique store devoted to German antiques. Links to photos are at bottom. I have: A 5" high(12.6cm) .5 liter grey salt-glazed wheelmade stoneware stein (Picture 1 and Picture 2). It is cylindrical except at the top where it pinches in slightly beginning 1" below the rim, from 3 1/4” (8.3cm) body diameter to 2 1/8” (6.7cm) neck diameter. The base is so minimalist that I’m not sure steinologists would call it a base, but there is a slightly thickened area starting just 9/16” (13mm) from the bottom. It says ½ L below the rim, with a short (14mm) horizontal line just below that (Picture 3). The handle attaches high and close to where the neck narrows (Picture 1 again), to my understanding a pre-1830 feature, and the bottom of the handle is smoothed into the body without dimple or other ornament (Picture 4). I think this simple smoothed attachment is supposed to indicate post-1780 or so. The body is otherwise undecorated. The pewter lid is flat and without inlay (Picture 5), finely engraved "L. Schulmair" (Picture 6), with small oak (?) leaves around the edge of the flat rim (Picture 7). It has a minimal strap support, a closed 5 ring hinge, and an acorn thumblift over the lid, not the handle (Picture 8). The last two features I understand to be pre-1870 or so. The pewter lid is corroded on the under side but clean on the upper side. A little bit of corrosion right next to where the thumblift is attached indicates that the exterior has been cleaned (visible in Picture 5). There are no maker's marks - the most promising would seem to be the acorn thumblift (which has a tiny notch symmetrically placed on opposite sides of the acorn – Picture 9) and the oak leaf decoration (Picture 7). But no luck with those so far.
On the basis of the handle attachment height, the location of the thumblift, and the closed 5 ring hinge, I would think that the body would date pre-1830 and the pewter would date pre-1870. They could well be the same age. But someone on the list at Steincollectors.org suggested that the ½ L mark on the rim suggests that it would have to be mass-produced, and hence post-1850.
I’m looking to know when and where this was made. I have no interest in selling the piece – Just want to know my new stein better.
Pictures http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture1.JPG http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture2.JPG http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture3.JPG http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture4.JPG http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture5.JPG http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture6.JPG http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture7.JPG http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture8.JPG http://members.aol.com/cbeekman/Picture9.JPG
