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From: Walt Vogdes
Remote Name: 24.113.108.29
The "technology" of the "open hinge", which allowed both parts of the hinge to be formed in a single pour of pewter, was not developed until circa 1865-1870, as you point out. Therefore, something is not totally original with these glass steins. It may be as simple as a pewter repair using the original lid, or it may be that a lid was added later, or the lid may be original to the body, but the body is not nearly as old as the seller stated. How are they dated? Glass steins from the early part of the 19th century are scarce, and they have different characteristics from glass steins made 50 years later. Can you provide photos?
As to the last stein you write about, I would assume that the stein was produced within a year preceding the date in the inscription. While closed hinges were the norm prior to the introduction of the labor- and time-saving open hinge, they continued in use even to the present day when the pewtersmith wanted to give an older or more refined look to the hinge.