COLLECTING BEER STEINS--FAIENCE

Stein Collectors International, Inc.

~ Faience Steins ~

Collecting Beer Steins - An Introduction to the Hobby

Faience Stein Germany began the production of faience steins in the mid-17th century. Faience was Europe's answer to the extremely expensive Chinese porcelain wares imported to the continent prior to the mid-eighteenth century.

Again, the factories were located near large clay deposits. The clay was mixed with other minerals to produce a lighter, more porous material than stoneware. The body of the stein was formed on the potter's wheel and fired in a kiln.

Next, it was dipped into a milk-white tin glaze to produce a smooth, white surface similar to the porcelain it attempted to emulate. After drying, the stein body was painted with various colored glazes and fired a second time. The process was time consuming but the steins that survive speak to the worthiness of the effort.

In Germany today, these steins are considered historic works of decorative art and are on display in many museums throughout that country. The painted designs include animals, architectural scenes, birds, crests, figural scenes, verses, etc.

Because faience is a relatively soft and fragile material, these steins were typically encircled by a pewter footring and lipring to protect it from chipping. Such old steins rarely are seen without some imperfections or hairline cracks. Collectors take this into consideration given the material used in production.