This month’s featured stein is a Greentown Glass stein (c.1900). Although there was never a Greentown Glass Company the term "Greentown
Glass" is most often ascribed to items that were developed and\or produced by the
Indiana Tumbler and Goblet Company (1894 - 1903) which was a member of the National
Glass Company (Combine). Production molds were shared among fellow member companies
of National Glass and thus, following the fire that destroyed Indiana Tumbler on
June 13, 1903, the steins were produced by the McKee Brothers Glass Company. These
steins were without lids and are found in three patterns: Serenade, Outdoor Drinking
and Indoor Drinking. As late as 1910 - 1915, The Westmoreland Specialty Company made
small glass steins very similar to those by Indiana Tumbler and McKee Brothers and
they are also often referred to as "Greentown Glass". The Westmoreland pieces originally
had set on glass lids and in some rare instances, metal lids. They are 4 13/16 inches
tall and were made in three patterns: Troubadour (same design as the Serenade pattern),
Gnomes, and Knights.
This month's stein features the Indoor Drinking pattern (shown above, unrolled)
which is entwined with one continuous scene depicting the
inside of a tavern where a barmaid draws beer from a large barrel and a group of
six men toast each other and drink from their steins. The stein is
the Nile Green color, standing 8 inches tall and displaying the intricate relief work
found on these steins. Other colors for this pattern are Clear and Chocolate Opaque, and other sizes
are 5 and 5.5 inches tall. Some of these steins are found with a pouring lip.
There is also a tumbler in this pattern (referred to as a handleless mug).
You can read more about Greentown Glass Steins, the Serenade and Outdoor Drinking patterns, and
the Westmoreland pieces in the September 2013 issue of Prosit.
|
