A grey / brown salt-glazed German stoneware stein with figures. C19th.

A narrow salt-glaze stoneware stein. Grey, slightly brown body. Crudely moulded decoration around body (possibly hand-thrown into a ‘wheel mould’). The body is divided into 3 panels with columns and arches. Obverse panel: A man drinking from a tall stein whilst leaning against a carved stone alter(?) which has a mallet shaped wine bottle on top. Front panel: A woman (saint?) carrying a model of a double spire church or cathedral. Reverse panel: Three men carrying various objects.

There is a very crudely moulded band of grapevine above the slightly flared foot. The base is flat but with a slight push up in the middle and shows wire marks where it was cut from the wheel head. The handle is hand-pulled with a small spike hole on top to allow attachment of a pewter lid. ½ L mark impressed below front rim.

Although this stein looks very early in style (loosely similar to the Siegburg examples) it is more likely to date to the C19th. A very similar version, but with a moulded handle and marked ‘KREBS’ is known, which dates to the later C19th.

Pot ID: AP/992
Dimensions: 168 mm high (to top of rim).
Net Weight (grams): 490
Date: c.1865-1885

Condition Report:
Shallow chip on inside rim. The moulded ‘stonework’ border is missing in two places at the top but these are glazed over production damage. A medium chip on foot rim at front plus four chips under foot rim on base.