Large Antique German Saltglazed Stoneware Westerwald Etched Beer Stein/Pitcher c. It is a very traditional type of serving beer steins or “master steins” – large with a bulbous form called “Birnkrug” or “pear-shaped steins”. The stein is made of saltglazed stoneware hand-turned and manually decorated with a beautiful etched and incised into the body floral patterns. This was done with several kinds of wooden sticks when the clay was still soft. It is also glazed with cobalt -blue glaze The lid is pewter with the large hollow ball thumblift and five-ring closed type hinge. This type of hinge and thumblift were the most common from mid-1700s to mid-1800s. The stein is in excellent condition for the age – there are no chips, cracks or hairlines. There are some manufacturing impurities due to the pre-industrial manual manufacturing technology. Please note – the line you see on the bottom is not a crack – it’s a superficial firing line. It is large and impressive pouring steins, standing 14.5 to the top of the thumblift, about 3 L capacity. I guarantee my dating and description! Condition: Excellent for the age. Height: 14.5 in. Get images that make Supersized seem small. Track Page Views With.