This month’s stein features a 2 liter high relief glazed pottery stein depicting “Bowlers.” The number “370” on
the steins’ bottom is the only marking on the stein.
What was so impressive about this stein when found was how well designed it was. The shape of the body, how the relief work was executed, the overall stature of the stein; it was “quality” work. It was by accident that while browsing through past issues of Prosit, an article was found (ref.1) which pictured this same model stein and identified it as made by Dümler & Breiden, model #370.
The three-part article goes into much detail regarding the company of Dümler & Breiden. Peter Dümler and Albert Breiden were childhood friends living in the Westerwald area during the mid-1880s. Peter’s father was a potter. Albert’s mother was the sister of ceramics factory owner, Simon Peter Gerz. Therefore, both boys were exposed to the pottery making industry since childhood. The boys began apprenticeships at age 14 that honed their skills with clay. Peter Dümler’s talents were recognized early-on, while apprenticed to the well known Reinhold Hanke factory. Albert Breiden was apprenticed to his uncle, Simon Peter Gerz.
In 1883 the firm of Dümler & Breiden was formed, officially registered as such on 1 July 1884. It prospered. It was the Golden Age for beer steins. Initially, their steins depicted historical characters and events, the
Historismus period. Tastes changed and going into the late 1800s the public preferred steins depicting
common, everyday life events. This stein showing a bowling scene is a good example. The bowler
concentrates hard on getting a strike! His expression says it all! The bowling in
this case is nine pin bowling, as can be seen in the verse on the stein: "Treff ich alle neun,
wird es sehr mich freu'n", which loosely translates to
"When I hit all nine, it will give me much joy."
Rarely were steins signed by Peter Dümler, however this stein has been directly attributed to Dümler himself. According the Loevi article (ref. 2), most Dümler & Breiden steins produced from 1884 to 1889, approximately up to model #200, can be attributed Peter Dümler.
If you wish to learn more about the steins of Dümler & Breiden, there is an excellent article (ref. 3) in the Featured stein archives of this site.