Antique White Westerwald Saltglazed Stoneware Incised Beer Stein c. Late-1700s

Antique White Westerwald Saltglazed Stoneware Incised Beer Stein c. The stein presented was made around 1780s - 1790s in the Westerwald area of Germany. It was made of slatglazed stoneware but was not glazed with cobalt or magenta glazes like the majority of Westerwald steins but left with natural tan clay color.

Les Paul in his book "Early Stoneware Steins" presents this type of stein on page 385. He states that steins without cobalt decorations are not found so frequently in Westerwald as those with cobalt or manganese decorations, but they became quite popular in the second half of the 18th century. This particular stein has a wheel-thrown body with hand-applied handle. It is decorated with multiple incised ornamental patterns made with a pointed stick on the wet clay. The lid is pewter with a hollow ball thumblift sitting on the lid, and a large five-ring closed type hinge - typical for the 1700s. The lid has a medallion with a scene of a tavern brawl. The inscription reads: "Nach Haus mit dir was saufts al hier" - that I translate as. Not going home with you, I'm drinking here! There is also number 16 engraved in the lid - this is a tavern number - people in old Germany (and even now) used to keep their personal beer steins in their favorite tavern and engraved numbers so they could easily find it. The lid is marked with the pewterer's hallmark that belongs to master pewterer Johann Georg Adam Friedrich who established his shop in 1769 and was last mentioned in 1808.

The stein has a small flake on the upper rim under the lid, otherwise in excellent condition, with no chips or cracks. It is 9.25 to the top of the thumblift, 1L capacity. Condition: small flake on upper rim, otherwise excellent. Get Supersized Images & Free Image Hosting.

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