Stein Collectors International
Featured Stein: February 2014

A Greentown Glass Stein

By Joe Beard

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.

Click here to view a pictorial index of all Featured Stein articles.