Original Item: Only One Available. Perhaps no other collectible is so shrouded in myth, misinformation and mistaken identity as German regimental steins. These pieces have been steadily reproduced since the 1960s and most experts agree reproductions far outnumber authentic examples. Yet few buyers other than stein specialists know how to identify the fakes.

The majority of authentic German regimental beer steins were produced between about 1890 and 1914. During this time, military service was compulsory in Germany. Most men would take basic training between 17 and 20 and then enter the reserves until age 40. A group of men would enter a unit together, stay in the same unit for training and be discharged as a unit. This sense of togetherness fostered the custom of buying souvenirs with the unit name, insignias and decorations as a keepsake of military service. Many souvenir items were available such as pipes, clocks, flasks and especially steins. Rosters of names from your unit, or regiment, could be added to the steins and these became known to collectors as "regimental steins."

Authentic ca. 1890-1914 steins were available in pottery, porcelain, glass and metal. Regardless of what the stein was made of, almost all had pewter lids. The most common sizes are half-liter and one-liter. The beginning of WW I effectively ended the production of regimental steins as labor and materials were diverted to the war.

This is a very high quality original Imperial German Regimental beer stein. It is highly decorated on the exterior, and these were generally made with lovely design on the exterior, with banners and other areas where they were customized for the specific regiment / unit that the person ordering the stein requested. These were usually ordered in groups for a particular regiment, and this example is marked a large 27 in a shield, and just under the lid is marked with the regimental designation:

3. Batt. 1. Nass. Feld. Art. Rgt. No 27. Oranien in Mainz-Gonsenheim. 1910-1912.

Under this is the name of the reservist who it was for: Reserviſt Weber. This is a clear reference to the 27th (1st Nassau) Field Artillery "Oranien" Regiment, first raised 15 March 1833 and garrisoned in Mainz, Wiesbaden, on the left bank of the Rhine where it joins the Main river. Mainz was founded by the Romans in the 1st century BC as a military fortress on the northernmost frontier of the empire and provincial capital of Germania Superior. It has a long and storied history. The 27th regiment was part of the XVIII Army Corps, and saw service during WWI. After this it was dissolved along with much of the German army.

The stein indicates that Weber was part of the 3rd Batterie, and served 1910-1912. At the time Germany had mandatory military service for all able-bodied males. As a reservist he was most likely called up at the outbreak of WWI. There are also lots of other illustrations with inscriptions on the body of the stein, probably patriotic phrases and maybe poems or the like. It looks like there was even some long lists of reservists in the regiment next to the handle, though these are quite worn. The bottom of the stein has an artillery specific motto:

Kanonendonner ist unser Gruß!

This is usually translated as "The thunder of the cannon is our greeting!". There are no maker marks on the stein that we can see, but the bottom interior is embossed with a design, often seen on these military steins. The lid is in very good condition, not showing any denting and having a lovely embossed design. The hinge has an eagle perched on it, as often seen, though there has definitely been a repair just below the joint, where it looks like the pewter cracked through. The repair is solid, and the lid lines up correctly with the mouth of the stein. The stein measures approximately 9 3/4 inches in height, and is 4 1/2" across the base. The glaze is in very good condition, showing some cracking in areas. It is also marked with 0,5 near the right side of the hinge for 0.5L, the typical capacity for these steins.

A very impressive display item from the German Empire, ready to research and display!