The Reading Room contains links to approximately 100 informative articles and resources for stein collectors. This material is organized into general categories as shown below. For ease of navigation, you may click on any of the categories and your browser will take you directly to that section. Or, of course, you can navigate the list by scrolling up and down.
Sources which deserve special attention are:
- Featured Stein Archive – more than 200 short articles about specific steins.
- Cumulative Index of Prosit – Table of Contents for every issue of Prosit going back to 1965.
- Translations Illustrated provides hundreds (thousands?) of translations of expressions found on steins.
- SteinMarks – an extensive library of information about manufacturers, designers and marks
- The Beer Stein Library – an extensive library of information about manufacturers, designers and marks
If you can’t find what you are looking for here, perhaps you can find it in one of the External Links of Interest.
Getting Started: An Introduction to Stein Collecting
- Collecting Beer Steins – An Introduction to the many types of steins
- The Rastal Collection of Historic Beer Vessels – A broad treatment of the history of steins
- It Dates From Around the Turn of the Century the Golden Age of Steins – some history about steins.
- Old or New? – A discussion about identifying steins
- Anatomy of a Beer Stein – The basic terminology explained
- Beer Stein Ceramics Simplified – Stoneware, Pottery, Porcelain, Faience, Earthenware?
- Glossary of Terms
- Glossary of German Terms
- Humorous Look at Terminology
- Caring for Your Steins
- Featured Stein Archive (often referred to as the Stein of the Month Series)
It is often said that the best way to learn about steins is to handle as many of them as you can, as often as you can. The corollary to that advice is to read about as many as you can, including a wide variety of types, materials, themes, etc., and the perfect way to do that is to browse the past Stein of the Month articles.
- Wrapping and Packing – helpful suggestions for how to ship steins
Specific Areas of Collecting Interest:
- 4F Gymnastic Steins – Turnvater Jahn, Turnfests, Phys Ed
- German Kinderkrüge – Children’s Steins
- German Christmas Miniature Steins
- German Student Societies, History and Traditions: A Bibliography
- Jordan Vandenberg’s HB Stein Blog
(External site) A plethora of information on HB beer steins. - Jugendstil Steins – A Pictorial Essay
- Mettlach Look-Alike – A striking comparison of two student steins
- Occupational Steins – An Introduction
Regimental (or more correctly, Reservist) Beer Steins
These articles are intended to provide footing for the newcomer to Regimental steins - Regimental Steins – a first glimpse into collecting Regimental steins
- Understanding Regimental Beer Steins – a broad view
- Regimental Steins – A Brief History – More about history and the variety of Regimentals
- Some General Remarks about Imperial German Regimental Beer Steins
- Regimentals – Old or New? – How to identify reproductions
- Myth of History: Regimental Steins – A Pictorial Gallery (external)
- Student Association Steins – Basics
- Student Association Steins – Pictorial Essay
- Studentica – The artifacts of German student associations
- US Military Steins from the Cold War Era – Popular collectibles!
Glass Steins:
- American Cut Glass Steins – American brilliance!
- Cobalt-Blue Glass Steins – Pretty to look at, delightful to hold… but to drink?
- Glass Beer Steins – An Introduction
- Glass Techniques – Blown, mold-blown, cut, pressed, enameled, etched…
- Jeweled Lids: Myths and Superstitions – Poison, fidelity and health?
- Prunts, Glass Stein Decorations – Now you know the correct name
Reference Works:
- A Cumulative Index of Prosit — 1965 to Present
- Basic Marks on Stoneware and Pottery Steins – A Beginning
- The Marks of Finishing Firms
- Beer Stein Library – (External site) Includes excellent articles and pictorial catalogs
- Bibliography – Useful books & periodicals for stein collectors
- Character Stein Book – (External site) Sorry – Not currently in operation.
- Der Oktoberfestkrug – (External site) A pictorial catalog (German)
- How to Detect Stein Repairs – Helpful hints for ceramics collectors
- Mettlach Marks – The Essentials
- MySteinCollection.com -(External site) Stein catalogs and more
- Pewter Fittings Through the Ages– Dating steins from their pewter
- Original Stein Manufacturers Catalogs ~ Original Manufacturer’s Catalogs
- Stein Marks – (External site) Photos of marks and artists signatures appearing on steins.
- Steve On Steins-(External site) A wealth of information on almost every aspect of stein collecting.
Translation Aids:
- Example of Expressions on a Stein: – The Verses of Mettlach # 171
- Introduction to Les Hopper’s “1,001 German Translations”
- Les Hopper’s “1,001 German Translations” – Side-by-side German-English translations
- On the Subject of Translations – Literal or Lyrical?
- Some Simple Beer Stein Cognates – Helpful step to understanding German
- Steinologists’ guide to old German print and script – More on deciphering the old German lettering
- Supplement to Les Hopper’s “1,001 German Translations”
- Translations Illustrated – (Updated frequently) Translated verses with pictures and interpretation.
- What Does This Blasted Thing Say? – Deciphering the old German lettering
Miscellaneous Articles:
- Beer Markers – How do you keep track of your personal stein?
- Beer Steins in Museums – Steins in Museum Collections Worldwide
- Bud Man Quartet The vastly popular contemporary character!
- Corona Series of Character Steins
- Do You Drink Out of Them? Don’t Touch!
- Give ‘Em the Boot – All about communal drinking boots
- Kannenbäckerland – Jug bakers’ land, the Westerwald
- Lithophanes – Those pictures in the bottom of your stein
- Reinheitsgebot or Purity Law – The secret to German beer?
- Show and Tell – articles submitted by visitors to this site
- Westerwald History – A very important region of Germany for beer steins
- What Is It – German or Chinese? – A Look at Current Manufacturing Trends
- Why Steins have Lids – An interesting video presentation
Manufacturers, Artists, Designers, etc.:
Albert Jacob Thewalt GmbH – A history of the factory and family- Franz Ringer Beer Steins
- Franz Ringer Pictorial Essay
- Fritz Thenn Regensburg Steinzeug Factory
- Gerz Steins, A Closer Look
- Heinrich Schlitt Remembered – A look at a favorite artist of stein collectors
- Freising/HR Enameled Saltglaze Steins
- J. W. Remy – College Series
- Mettlach Beer Steins: An Introduction
- Otto Hupp – Artistic Contribution to Mettlach Stoneware
- Otto Hupp and Spatenbräu
- Otto Hupp – The Mettlach Occupationals
- St. Louis Silver Company (pdf format)
- Schierholz Discoveries – A Story in Three Parts. All about Schierholz (not Musterschutz!) Character Steins
- TP Mark – Mistaken beliefs corrected
- Twisted Vine Handles Simplified – Not just Girmscheid
Themes and Stories on Steins:
- The Babies Stein
- Doulton Pottery in Lambeth – An English Münchner Kindl?
- Gambrinus, King of Beer – Who is that king with brew raised high?
- Gambrinus Pokal
- Gooseman of Nuremberg A popular symbol of the city
- Heinzelmänchen Mystery– Some say dwarfs, some say Zwerge,…
Munich Child, A History – The Beloved Symbol of Munich- Oktoberfest – The historical origins of this largest of festivals
- Paragraph 11 (§11) This common symbol explained!
- Schlaraffenland Steins and the Schlaraffia Society – This long article has been configured in 6 parts. You can read all 6 parts by clicking on the link above, or read individual “chapters” by clicking on the links below.
- St. Florian Mettlach Stein – Patron saint of firemen, also by Otto Hupp
- Schützenliesl or the Target Girl – Who was she?
- Til Eulenspiegel – The Merry Prankster – his life and times
- The Symbolism of Animals – Most have a specific meaning
- Trumpeter of Säckingen – A Love Story
- Wren of Ulm and the Flying Tailor of Ulm – Two famous tales