Stein Collectors International
Featured Stein:
May 2012
![]() The Turnverein generally excluded the lower classes and foreigners, leading blue collar workers to form their own Gymnastics clubs. Near the end of the 19th Century, a socialist gymnastics association was formed calling itself the Arbeiter-Turnerbund (Workers Gymnastic Federation), adopting the motto (Frisch – Frei – Stark – Treu) (Hardy - Pious - Strong - True), and the salutation "Frei Heil" (Hail Freedom). Featured this month is a nice porcelain from this latter socialist organization. These steins are commonly referred to as an "FFST steins", the letters deriving from the changed motto. FFST steins are very similar in appearance to 4F steins and without close inspection can easily be mistaken for a 4F stein. In fact this particular stein was identified as an ordinary 4F stein in an auction catalog, but several sharp eyed collectors were not fooled. The differences are clearly shown in figures 1 and 2. On the FFST stein, the four "F"s are replaced by a an "S" overlaid by back to back FF"s and laid top to top with a "T". The salutation "Gut Heil" has been replaced by "Frei Heil".
|