September 2013 Volume III Issue III

Thirsty Knights
Standard
Volume III Issue III
NEXT MEETING
Sunday
September 15, 2013
SEPTEMBER 2013
Matthias Hein Rare Renaissance Red Mettlach
Stein Set: Mettlach No. 1983/1984
By Johnsamuel Coleman
The Crows Nest
309 Vincent Ave
& Rt. 17 South
Hackensack, NJ
201-342-3445
Inside this issue:
Matthias Hein
1
Rare Renaissance
Red Mettlach
Reminiscences
2
Show –N– Tell
5
Welcome to
Oktoberfest
8
Minutes
11
Pictures
13
Complete set of renaissance red stein
We do not know much biographical data
on Mattias Hein, with the exception that
he worked for Villeroy & Boch between
1885 and 1901, and created these two
well known Mettlach steins, numbers
1997/pug- George Ehret Brewery and
Mettlach no. 2824-Wartburg Krug.
Mettlach number 1997/pugGeorge Ehret Brewery
The here discussed Mettlach numbers
1983/1984 introduces a Renaissance red
color not repeated
on
any
other
Mettlach stein.
Mettlach number 2824Wartburg Krug.
Bottom of steins number 1993 with date.
Continued on page 9
Page 2
Thirsty Knights Standard
REMINISCENCES
As reported by Lorraine Merz
We had three individuals in attendance at
the June 9th meeting that have been longtime members of the Thirsty Knights and/or
SCI. Stuart Rosenthal and Jim Sauer regaled the club with their Thirsty Knight remembrances; people, places and events
dating from the 1960’s and 1970’s. Due to
time constraints, Tom Whitton did not address the membership, but provided a personal story for inclusion in this segment of
the newsletter.
The following is a synopsis of those recollections:
Stuart Rosenthal – It was 1955, while serving in the army and stationed in Berlin, that
the collecting bug first bit Stuart. Modern day
pottery steins, souvenir pieces so to speak,
attracted his attention. His first Mettlach purchase was a relief stein that he uncovered
while on a trip to Cape Cod shortly after his
marriage. His burgeoning interest in steins
eventually led him to SCI and the 1967 convention in New York City. A tour of the F & M
Schaefer Brewery Company in Brooklyn was
a highlighted feature of the convention package. Stuart has two very vivid memories
from that visit.
The first was Rudy J.
Schaefer’s amazing collection of faience and
Creussen that was housed in the brewery.
The second was the presence of a large
fountain that, with a tap on the foot pedal,
would dispense beer instead of water from
its spout.
Stuart’s later acquisitions included porcelain
figurines, cameos, Rosenthal birds, and Royal Vienna. He once had a world class
Schaefer and Vater collection that included
unusual flasks (a fit, alongside beer steins, in
the drinking vessel category). All of his collections were broken up and sold many
years ago as needed, but his interest in objects of beauty has not waned.
Footnote: The Schaefer Brewery was later
sold to the Stroh Brewery Company in 1981.
It has been said that included in the purchase
price, according to Stroh (and the Schaefer family’s dismay), was the Schaefer collection.
It was considered to be part and parcel of the
brewery sale, not a personal collection.
——————————————————————
Jim Sauer – Flea Markets, Antique Shops and
Tag Sales– 1970’s: The hunt was on! Every stein
collector, in their quest for the elusive prized stein,
echoed those words. Vendor booths, knickknack
stores and “old curiosity shops” were
not passed over.
Jim estimated that
there were approximately 173 flea
markets in the tristate area in the
early 1970’s. Antique shows were
held in small spaces within shopping
malls. Today antiquing has become
one of America’s
favorite pastimes,
due in part to the spread of specialized malls,
popular TV programs and online websites. What
has remained throughout the decades is the euphoria of uncovering a great stein, at a great
price, somewhere along the treasure trail. Friendships were formed, stein contacts built, and clubs
organized. Below are a few memorable names,
places and events from the past:
Jane Dimsole: Author of Steins and Prices (5” X
8” catalog) Jane’s sound
judgment and uncanny ability to calculate the current
market value for steins
made her publication “a
must read” for serious collectors. The average cost of
a stein, during the period
1970-1971, ran between
$75 and $85. Although stein
prices have fluctuated with
Volume III Issue III
Page 3
REMINISCENCES
Continued from page 2
the times, her booklet remains a fixture in a collector’s library.
Polly Fable: Owned an antique shop in Yonkers,
New York and one of the first dealers to trade in
Mettlach steins. Jim purchased a number of items
from Polly including a multicolored Mettlach relief
stein, some glass pieces and a character stein.
He made the connection with Polly through the
SCI directory. At one point Polly showed Jim her
back room. Four walls were lined with shelves, all
of which bore the weight from multitudes of Musterschutz (“Schierholz”) steins. Polly passed away
in 1979.
Bill Schwartz: Avid eclectic collectors, Bill and his
wife filled their home and barn in Pennsylvania
with an assortment of items. Steins, character
bottles (i. e. Jim Bean decanters), ivory, gold
coins, antique cars, and dolls were among their
prized possessions. It was said that during the
1950s-60s Bill drove into NYC on weekends with
one goal in mind – to gather up as many steins as
possible. Antique shops flourished during this period and steins were in a plentiful array. The empty
egg crates that accompanied Bill to NY were filled
to capacity upon their return to PA. A fortunate
few had the opportunity to examine the Schwartz
collection, but subsequent to Bill’s death a preview
time and auction date were announced. The public sale drew the attention of hobbyist from far and
wide. Successful stein bidders were now the owners of pieces that once were a part of an awesome collection. Bill Schwartz’ steins are readily
identifiable by his ID marking – an “S followed by
three or four digits”. His footprint lives on.
Chapter Mergers: Jim was a member of the New
Jersey Burgermeisters; one of two East Coast
chapters of SCI. The Burgermeisters, unfortunately, folded in the 1980’s. Its members did not disband but merged with The Thirsty Knights which
now boasts 70 members from NY, NJ and CT.
Kruckers Picnic: In the summer of 1973 The
Thirsty Knights held an outing at Kruckers in upstate NY. A group photo was taken, copies of
which were brought to today meeting by Jim Sauer and Dan Cipriano. There were 50-60 people in
attendance; children included. Some of the smiling faces are recognizable: the Gruskins, Sauers,
Alutins, Ciprianos, Walds, Masons, Medows, Jack
Lowenstein, John De Luisi, Pat and Bina Clark.
The day was made for memories as is evidenced
by this keepsake.
Footnote: Kruckers Caterers and Picnic Grove in
Pomona, NY is still in existence. It is a family
Page 4
Thirsty Knights Standard
REMINISCENCES
Continued from page 3
owned and operated business nestled in the
Ramapo Mountains of NY, in proximity of
Harriman State Park. The founder, Emil
Kruckers, emigrated from Switzerland and
purchased the land in 1929. A restaurant
that once stood on the property closed in
1980. The Edelweiss Pavilion was erected in
its place and now caters weddings and banquets for special occasions. Catered barbecues on the grounds are available in the
summer. Other seasonal activities are listed
on their website: wwwkruckers.com.
wherein he bought the one-liter Black Forest stein
# 2829. This stein had a broken lid.
Kruckers may be an ideal location to hold a
2014 combined chapter meeting and, for
some Thirsty Knight members, it would be
“déjà vu all over again” – Yogi Berra
After a lapse of one month Harvey came to call. In
one hand he held the Black Forest stein, with repaired lid and in the other a St. Florian stein.
Both items were given to Tom in exchange for the
monkey character stein. It was a done deal; both
parties pleased with the arrangement. Only later,
on a religious retreat with his fellow fireman, did
Tom discover that St. Florian is the patron saint of
firemen.
Plattduetsche Park Restaurant: The restaurant was established in 1939 and has
been the meeting place for the Thirsty
Knights Chapter of SCI since the 1970’s. It
continues to be the venue for our holiday
gathering every December.
The world of stein collecting has evolved
through the decades and so has Jim’s journey from stein collector to glass expert to
Master Steinologist. It has certainly been a
wonderful trip!
———————————————————
Tom Whitton – 1967: At the first convention
Harvey Murphy gave a talk on the art of repairing steins and presented some examples
of his work. Tom was impressed with his
skill and made a mental note to call on Harvey if he was ever in need of stein restoration. After the convention Tom and his wife
Jane extended their pleasure-seeking jaunt
with a visit to Maine and Massachusetts. It
was during their travels that Tom found the
monkey character stein # 2069 in an antique
store. Hesitant at first (he did not find this
stein to be particularly attractive), Tom purchased the monkey stein for a reasonable
$40 price tag. A little further down the road
Tom espied another antique establishment
Upon Tom’s return home he phoned Harvey regarding the damaged lid. In passing, he mentioned his latest acquisition – the monkey character stein. Harvey did his best to disguise and control his excitement once apprised by Tom of his
find. He merely replied “that’s nice”. Harvey was
a collector of character steins. He had the dog
and owl and sought the monkey to complete his
set.
Page 5
Volume III Issue III
SHOW AND TELL
Our members never fail to disappoint in the
items they bring to Show ‘n’ Tell and today was
no different.
Jon Hoffmann and Steve Steigerwald brought
pieces that were sure to please and pique the
interest of our group.
Jon Hoffmann: The two beer steins Jon displayed, one a vibrant blue and the other a rich
chocolate
brown,
were the
creation of
potter Edwin Bennett
(18181908). Bennett emigrated from
London and
eventually
settled in
Baltimore,
Maryland in
the mid1800s. Bennett made
several styles of drinking vessels. Jon’s steins depict two gentlemen (on either side of the body);
one hoisting a beer mug; the other smoking a
pipe. The steins are approximately 5” tall, have a
hinged pewter lid and are believed to have been
produced during the prohibition era.
Steve Steigerwald: Two small, and very desira-
ble, plaques were Steve’s contribution to today’s
Show ‘n’ Tell.
The first was the
Mettlach “Crown
of Thorns – 1933
– Trier” (a.k.a.
Seamless Robe of
Christ or Holy
Robe of Christ).
Steve’s purchased his latest
acquisition in an
antique shop.
The second beautiful
plaque is an aquacolored cameo – “1914
Iron Cross” from
France. There is a fourdigit 7000 number on
the back of the plaque.
We want to thank Jon
and Steve for giving us the opportunity to view
and examine some of their prized possessions.
Volume III Issue III
Page 6
News Briefs
Awards:
Accolades bestowed upon Thirsty
Knights member Jim Sauer. Jim received the 2013 SCI Master Steinologist Certificate in “recognition of his
time and energy promoting stein
collection”. The certificate depicts a
stag and doe in a forest setting
etched on a red stained glass. A tribute that has been long awaited and
much deserved.
Congratulations Jim!
Bereavement: Deepest sympathies are extended to
Barbara and Richard Walter on the
passing of Barbara’s mother in July.
The grief and loss of a loved one is a
sorrow that many of our members
have shared.
Connecticut
Three Chapters of SCI met on July
27, Connection: 2013 in New
Britain, CT; The Thirsty Knights
New England Steiners and The Stu
dent Prince. Over 60 members
turned out for this event.
The food served by the East Side
Restauant met with the diners’ approval, as did the abundance in steins
available for sale and purchase. Master Steinologist Dave Haar gave a
presentation on enameled glass from
the Corning Museum that ended in a
round of applause from the assembly.
An informal survey taken of attendees determined that the gettogether was considered a huge success and one that should be repeated
in the future. (See Reminiscences section of newsletter)
L.A. Convention : Although smaller in record Feedback: n u m b e r s
than previous conventions approximately 100 members), the event will
certainly loom large in the memories
of the conventioneers who attend-
ed. Besides the great food that was
served for breakfast, lunch and dinner the attendees experienced a
festive “On The Red Carpet” farewell banquet. Diners wore costumes
depicting favorite celebrities or movie characters – Marilyn Monroe,
Charlie Chaplin, Shirley Temple, The
Three Amigos just to name a few.
Professional impersonators also entertained the
audience (Marilyn
Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Michael
Jackson). It was a fun-filled evening.
But stein collectors gather not just
to party but to purchase their next
prized possession at the commercial
stein auction, buy or sell at the members’ auction/stein table, attend
round table discussions and listen to
lectures (Mark Durban spoke on
Schlitt).
A highlight of the convention was a
bus trip to the American Museum of
Ceramic Art in Pomona, CA. Bob
Wilson donated his entire Mettlach
collection to the museum. Outside
of one’s dreams, this is the only site
where members can view Bob’s oneof-a-kind pieces.
The museum had on display, during
this time, Mettlach vases and plaques.
For collectors, this museum stop is a
“must see” on your next trip to California
The Los Angeles convention may be
over but there is always next year to
meet up with long- distance friends,
swap stories and steins and enjoy the
company of fellow hobbyists!
See You in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 2014
Page 7
Volume III Issue III
Stein Talk
The Thirsty Knights 1st Newsletter
Page 8
Thirsty Knights Standard
Welcome to Oktoberfest!
On Saturday, September 21st, the
Schottenhamel tent is the place to be, if you
want to catch the official opening ceremonies. At noontime, 12pm, the lord mayor of
Munich will have the honor
of tapping the first keg of
Oktoberfest beer. Once the
barrel has been tapped, all
visitors will then be allowed
to quench their thirst. It
pays to arrive early in order
to experience the festivities
up close and personal and
it's quite common for visitors to come around 9 a.m.
to secure good seats. The
festival will last until October 6th.
History: Crown Prince
Ludwig, later to become
King Ludwig I, was married
to Princess Therese of SaxonyHildburghausen on 12th October 1810. The
citizens of Munich were invited to attend
the festivities held on the fields in front of
the city gates to celebrate the happy royal
event. The fields have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's fields") in honor of the
Crown Princess ever since, although the
locals have since abbreviated the name
simply to the "Wies'n".
Horse races in the presence of the Royal
Family marked the close of the event that
was celebrated as a festival for the whole of
Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse
races in the subsequent year gave rise to the
tradition of the Oktoberfest.
In 1811 an added feature to the horse races
was the first Agricultural Show, designed to
boost Bavarian agriculture. The horse races,
which were the oldest and - at one time -
the most popular event of the festival are no
longer held today. But the Agricultural Show
is still held every three years during the Oktoberfest on the southern part of the festival grounds.
In the first few decades the
choice of amusements was
sparse. The first carousel and
two swings were set up in
1818. Visitors were able to
quench their thirst at small
beer stands which grew rapidly in number. In 1896 the beer
stands were replaced by the
first beer tents and halls set
up by enterprising landlords
with the backing of the breweries.
The remainder of the festival
site was taken up by a fun-fair.
The range of carousels etc. on offer was
already increasing rapidly in the 1870s as the
fairground trade continued to grow and develop in Germany.
Today, the Oktoberfest is the largest festival
in the world, with an international flavor
characteristic of the 21th century: some 6
million visitors from all around the world
converge on the Oktoberfest each year.
And since the Oktoberfest is still
held on the Theresienwiese, the locals still refer to
the event simply as
the "Wies'n". So
"welcome to the
Wies'n"
means
nothing other than
"welcome to the
Volume III Issue III
Page 9
Matthias Hein Rare Renaissance Red Mettlach
Stein Set: Mettlach No. 1983/1984
Continued from Page 1
the Renaissance red is in the background color. This creates a very striking color contrast.
The handle is also unique in that there are clay
insert patterns on it. That means the handle is
also etched. All three sizes were signed: M.
[attias] Hein by the handle.
Mattias Hein signature on stein no 1997
Renaissance Red color pattern
It is the color of Renaissance red.
Mattias Hein signature on stein no 1994
Mettlach number 1983¼ liter, ½ liter
You can see the clear lines between the clay inserts to form this pattern. Also note the reversal of
color in the pattern. On the 3.3 liter the background color is white while on the ¼ and ½ liters
View of the signature field
Page 10
Thirsty Knights Standard
Matthias Hein Rare Renaissance Red Mettlach
Stein Set: Mettlach No. 1983/1984
continued from Page 9
The acorn-type finial on the 3.3 liter is rarely
found undamaged. You will note on the 3.3liter stein the acorn in the finial is in full
bloom, while in the ¼ and ½ liter steins you
see the final as if it is a tip of a growing
acorn. This is a renaissance concept of
growth in art and art as growth.
Mettlach number 1983The ½ liter also exists in brush-gold color.
Renaissance Red color pattern
It is the color of Renaissance red.
Footnotes
1.
http://www.steinmarks.co.uk/
Matthias Hein
http://www.steinmarks.co.uk/
pages/pv.asp?p=stein107
2.
Beer stein Library
http://www.beerstein.net/
item.asp?ItemID=5249&man_id=4.
Page 11
Thirsty Knights Standard
Chapter Minutes for the meeting of June 9, 2013
On Sunday, June 9, 2013 forty-one members of the Thirsty Knights strolled into Angelina’s Pizzeria &
Restaurant of Williston Park, New York. Much to their delight the room held a horseshoe arrangement of tables laden with steins, plaques and go-withs. The day was off to a good start!
With club agenda in hand, President Rich Walter called the meeting to order at 12:40 p.m. The officers present were: President Richard Walter, First Vice President Johnsamuel Coleman, Second Vice
President, Jon Hoffmann, Secretary and Treasurer Lorraine Merz.
“I eat antipasto twice, just
because she is so nice,
Angelina, Angelina, the
waitress at the pizzeria
Ailing (Aug. 2013):
I give up soup and minestrone just to be with her
alone,
Angelina, Angelina, the
John De Luisi, a familiar face at our meetings, has recently been
diagnosed with bone cancer. The club has sent a get well card and its
best wishes as he undergoes medical treatment. John is in hopes of
attending our September meeting.
Archives:
Jim Sauer graciously donated to the club’s archives four loose-leaf binders filled with volumes of newsletters published by Thirsty Knight
members. The first periodical was called the Stein Standard and was
written by the late Jack Lowenstein; the person who “knew everyone
and everything”. This was a two – four page monthly publication that
informed readers of upcoming stein related events (conventions, picnics, etc), carried “buy and sell” ads, and when and where the next
auctions would be held. It provided the tidbits and news his interested
readership sought. Issues #1 - #100 are included in the binders.
waitress at the pizzeria”
Lyrics for the song
Angelina
by Louis Prima
The second was a newsletter entitled Stein Talk that was originally writen by Dr. Norman Medow. This newsletter was somewhat different
than the Stein Standard in that it contained articles relating to particular
subjects, i.e. Mettlachs, Creussens, etc. Collectors, who specialized,
looked forward to these informative quarterly editions. Issues #1 - #90
are included in the set of binders.
President Richard Walter accepted the newsletters on behalf of the
Thirsty Knights. Rich has volunteered to work on scanning these publications on to our web site; thus making them accessible to the membership for their perusal. Until this process is completed, please contact
Rich if a copy of a specific issue or topic is needed/desired. He may be
able to accommodate you either electronically or via the US postal
service.
Jim also brought with him a stack of “freebies”. These were stein-reated articles/clippings from magazines and newspapers as well as
handouts distributed during Jim’s lecture engagements. Needless to say,
they were quickly snatched up.
Our thanks to Jim for presenting the Thirsty Knights with historic stein
collecting literature; a gift appreciated by all.
Auction:
Stuart Rosenthal donated five pieces of Schaefer and Vater (two chamber sticks, two vanity dishes and one small ring box ). It was auctioned
off and sold to Richard Stattler for $60.00. Proceeds went into the
club’s treasury.
The Thirsty Knights would like to thank Stuart for the munificence of
his donation and his long-standing membership.
By-Laws:
Rich gave out copies of the proposed Thirsty Knights by-laws to the
Volume III Issue III
Page 12
Chapter Minutes
Continued
membership.
Feedback is anticipated, with the possibility of ratification as early as September. Please
get in touch with Rich if a replacement copy is needed. The by-laws, in original or edited
form, will govern the operation of the club.
Convention 2013:
The president wished those members attending the Los Angles convention a safe,
successful and enjoyable trip.
Corning Slide Show: J
JohnSamuel Coleman’s slide show highlighted the tourist spots, lodging and transportation options available in Corning, NY. All points make it an attractive candidate for a
convention. Historic sites, river cruises, wine bars, beer pubs and a tour of the famous
Corning museum are in the area for members to experience, explore and enjoy.
The club would like to thank JohnSamuel for the time and energy he spent in producing
this comprehensive and informative presentation.
Footnote: Rich will give a follow-up talk at our September meeting on the club’s prospects of hosting the 2016 SCI convention in New York.
Directory:
Rich took a survey, by a show of hands, of the amount of interest in having a club directory. The list would provide the names, telephone numbers and mailing/email addresses
of Thirsty Knights members. It would be available to members only and updated yearly.
Changes in contact information would need to be brought to the attention of the secretary.
Donation:
Tom Heaphy could not attend the June meeting due to a previous commitment, but
mailed a generous gift to the Thirsty Knights. The club is grateful to Tom for his continued support of the club.
Treasurer’s Report:
Lorraine Merz presented the quarterly Treasurer’s report for the period March 6, 2013
– June 8, 2013. Income and expense sums were noted and a treasury balance stated.
The club accepted the figures.
Other:
Drawing:
The 50/50 raffle was won by Dennis Ramshaw - $51.50
New Member:
Lorraine Merz introduced Doris Kohler Stahl, our newest member. Lorraine and
Hermann first met Doris at a social club function where Lorraine was presented with a
50-year membership pin. Doris, seated at their table, mentioned her collection of beer
steins. The rest, as they say, is history.
Respectfully submitted,
Lorraine Merz
Secretary
Page 13
Thirsty Knights Standard
Pictures from our last meeting
.
THIRSTY KNIGHTS
Help make this newsletter a success!
Newsletter Committee
Lorraine Merz
gclorraine2010@aol.com
516-352-0138
Richard H. Walter
richwalt@richwalt.com
973-345-7503
Copyright 2013
Thirsty Knights
Please send your email address to Richard Walter at richwalt@richwalt.com so
we may email you future issues of the
Thirsty Knights Standard.
This newsletter will only be a success
with your help. It is being written by a
couple of hard working members but
they need help! I call upon you to come
up with some new and fresh ideas.
We are looking for your suggestions. We
want to make The Thirsty Knights a better organization to serve your needs.
Please send us your suggestions on how
to improve both our enjoyment of our
collecting hobby and our social time together.
We have already received some suggestions. Please add yours to the list!
Convention stein #12
Rich Walter