[Daniel Kinney]

Thanks for any/all help in IDing this large (11” H) unmarked lidless Westerwald vessel; any other reveller-portraits of a similar sort?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/icAr3M7FEsfpdmhNA

[George]

Daniel,

If you do not get an answer on here you can try us on Facebook on our group page @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/339710320842097/?ref=share

[Daniel Kinney]

Thanks for this — I’ll take you up on that!

[John Piet]

Daniel,
Your picture link requires one to log into gmail to view your pictures. You need to place your pictures in a public place.

[Daniel Kinney]

Don’t know of a more public option for these photos —- “Let anyone with the link see . . .”

[Ron]

Daniel,

I could see the photos without logging in. I couldn’t find the pitcher in either The Beer Stein Library or the Old Manufacturing Catalogs.

[Daniel Kinney]

Thanks, Ron; it’s quite a mystery — not much else to go on besides beard styles!

[Daniel Kinney]

Access to images may be easier for some via this Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/339710320842097/posts/381842836628845

[Ron]

Daniel,

I tried searching the four images on tineye and google without success. I usually only get hits when it is a common image. I believe one image is of Bacchus.

[Daniel Kinney]

Thanks again for this, Ron. I think one may be Bacchus, one a (female) Bacchante, one a servant of Bacchus in a monk’s cowl, and one maybe just someone who likes drinking!

[WaltKeymaster]

Daniel, I think your speculation on the identities of these individuals is probably as good as you are going to get. It’s curious to me that each of these figures seems to have some grapes/grape vines in their hair, so Bacchus is certainly implicated. The detail on this piece is particularly nice and crisp.

[Daniel Kinney]

Thanks, Walt; I suspect this one was special-ordered round 1890, a sly Bacchic variation statelier roundels as featured on older Kugelbauchkrug designs, say, apostles or kings. Someone certainly knew how to sculpt well in Westerwald clay!

[Daniel Kinney]

Thanks, Walt; I suspect this one was special-ordered around 1890, a sly Bacchic variation on statelier roundels as featured on older Kugelbauchkrug designs, say, apostles or kings. Someone certainly knew how to sculpt well in Westerwald clay!

[Daniel Kinney]

The four roundels could also I guess stand for seasons and stages of life, with the “girl” a young boy; Shakespeare, anyone?

[Ron]

Daniel,

The Museum of European Ceramic Art shows a similar pitcher that is identified as Reinhold Merkelbach. It is in 1. Photo Gallery 233 x Westerwald. See http://museumek.eu/?page_id=28562. Click down about 9 pages. Try contacting them and provide photos of your pitcher. They may be able to confirm if it is Reinhold Merkelbach and identify your roundel images. Töpferei Girmscheid has some of the MERKELBACH ART NOUVEAU molds, so maybe they can be another source to contact.

[Daniel Kinney]

Thanks for this, Ron; the medallions are similar. I’ll follow this up!

[Author]

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