Original Imperial German WWI Era 40th (Hohenzollern) Fusiliers "Prince Charles Anton of Hohenzollern" Regiment Beer Stein with Hinged Lid - Dated 1909-1911

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. We have examined this stein thoroughly, with reference to several websites such as RealorRepro and SteveonSteins, and this one has all of the correct aspects for being original.

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 for the 40th (Hohenzollern) Fusiliers "Prince Charles Anton of Hohenzollern" Regiment. The last names of the men of the company are to the left and right. The other side of the stein has depictions of these men in Battle firing rifles, bidding farewell to their families, marching, and in camp. We can certainly tell that the names of these men were hand-painted, not printed. This example is named to Reservist Karn. The bottom of the stein has the regimental designation:

10 Comp. Fus. Rgt. First Karl Anton v. Hohenzoll. Nr. 40. Aachen. 1909-11.

This is a clear reference to the 40th (Hohenzollern) Fusiliers "Prince Charles Anton of Hohenzollern", which was active from 26 January 1818 to 1919, with its headquarters at Rastatt.

The stein denotes that Karn was in the 10th Company, serving from 1909 to 1911 in Aachen. At the time Germany had mandatory military service for all able-bodied males. There are also lots of other inscriptions on the body of the stein, probably patriotic phrases and maybe poems or the like.

The lid is in good shape, and the joint with the hinge is still solid and tight to the handle. There is a soldier sitting atop the lid next to a griffin or eagle. The rest of the inside of the lid is bright and shiny, as is correct for a vintage stein. There is an Imperial eagle on the hinge. Interestingly, there is a small piece of glass in the soldier’s head and you can see colors from the other side. There is also a soldier’s face embossed onto the side of the handle. 

The bottom of the stein is stamped A2. The stein measures a staggering 13 ¼” in height with a 4 ⅜” base diameter. The glaze is in good condition, showing some cracking in areas like in the bottom. This example has no lithopane. There is a size marking, ½ L, for half of a liter.

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