Introduction:

I love steins!  My grandmother's house had many intricate and decorative steins that came from her father and grandfather.  This side of my family was originally from Germany, and they brought many of the steins that I now own with them when they emigrated to America.

My most treasured stein is one that I received in 1990, it has a piece of the Berlin Wall on top of the hinged lid, and its artistry commemorates the Falling of the Berlin Wall.  When I first saw this stein in a specialty shop, I knew I had to have it.  It combined my love of history, politics and steins.   That is the uniqueness of stein collecting.  Most steins reflect an occasion, a proclamation, are representative of the town they were made, or they tell a story.

I only have a few steins, most didn't survive the many moves over the years.  Some are cracked, stained or missing their hinged lid.  But each reminds me of my heritage, or reminds me of a story.  I treasure all of them, and am working diligently to preserve the remaining steins so that I can pass on their legacy to my children.

Description:

The word "stein" comes from the German phrase, "Stein Krug" or stone jug.  Steins were first introduced in the 14th Century as a preventative measure.  The hinged lids protected the beverage from flies, which carried the bubonic plague.  The first steins were made of stoneware with an attached pewter lid.  In the following centuries; glass, pewter and silver materials were being used to make the stein body.  Stein artistry has developed from; telling a historical event, displaying a family crest to commercialism and advertising in the latter 20th Century.

Some of the main producers of current steins are:

Liegl

Kaiser Porcelain

BMF

Zimmerman

Rastal

A J Thewalt

Simon Peter Getz

Albert Stahl and Co.

Linder Porzellan

Just to list a few. 

Ebay has a plethora of steins on auction.  Whether you are looking for the sentimental, the ornate, the classic or the comical.  Commercial Steins, such as Budweiser Steins have become very collectible over the years.

Conclusion:

Steins are collected for many reasons, mine are to remind me of my Grandmother, others are to remember a time or place.  Some admire the great artistry and labor that goes into each piece.  Whether you are collecting; for monetary gain, sentimental gratification, or just because you like them, take care of them.  These pieces are fragile and eventually, unless mass-produced, they are irreplaceable.  Take them off the shelf occasionally and look at the story your stein tells.  Relay it to your family, you will find your steins become stories and memories of yourself, your heritage and generations to come.