Item:
ONJR23HGAA087

Original Imperial German WWI Era 87th (1st Nassau) Infantry Regiment Reservist Beer Stein with Hinged Lid - dated 1902-1904

Item Description

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 commemorative 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 87 in a banner under a crown, and over this it is named to Res. Hess. in a yellow banner towards the bottom it is marked with the regimental designation:

Bei d. 2. Comp. 1. Naſſ. Inft. Rgt. No 87 Mainz
1902-1904

This is a clear reference to the 87th (1st Nassau) Infantry Regiment known in German as the 1. Nassauisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 87. This regiment was first raised 14 March 1809 and Garrisoned in Mainz on the River Rhine outside of Frankfurt. This city in the Rhineland is very old, probably founded 13-12 BC as the roman stronghold Mogontiacum. The 87th Regiment was part of the XVIII Army Corps, and saw service in WWI, as it was relatively close to the French Border. After this it was dissolved along with much of the German army.

The stein indicates that Spies was in the 2nd Companie, and served 1902-1904. 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.

The lid shows an infantry soldier at rest holding up his canteen, with lots of designs underneath. Around the top of the stein just below this is a dedication to reservists, which reads (translation below):

Brüder ſtoſt die Gläſer an, es lebe der Reſerveman̄
Brothers clink glasses, long live the reserve man!

There are no markings on the bottom of the stein, however there is an embossed design on the bottom interior, which may be a maker mark. The lid is in very good condition, with no deformation or damage we can see. The hinge is still attached firmly to the lid, and the anchor on the handle wobbles just a bit. The stein measures approximately 10 3/4 inches in height, and is 4 1/8" across the base. The glaze is in very good condition, showing just a bit of cracking and wear in areas. It is also marked with 1/2L on the top by the date, the typical capacity for these steins.

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

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