Antique German Stoneware Saltglazed Beer – Stein King Gambrinus Regensburg Inlaid Lid c. Hello, my dear customers! I will be out of the country from September 2nd to September 12th. Please keep this in mind! This type of very old German beer steins is traditionally called “Regensburg” type even though the majority of them were produced in the Westerwald region. These steins are different from the very traditional Westerwald beer vessels – they did not use cobalt-based glaze so the steins keep a natural clay color. In Germany, they call them “Model” steins referring to the method of manufacturing. These steins were press-molded to a wooden form, they were turned afterward to make the insides round, then they were fired and the salt was applied to create a very solid surface. The stein is circa the 1870s. The relief decor on the front of the stein shows King Ga mbrinus – the legendary inventor of hopped malt beer. It was a very common subject for Regensburg steins – a massive figure of the King sitting on a beer barrel and saluting with a stein. The sides of the stein are decorated with relief pictures of young children with hops and barley – they symbolize young Bacchus – the Greek god of drinking and feasting. The inscription below reads: Es lebe hoch es leb’ mit Dank Gambrinus Gerst und Hopfentrank. Long may it live with gratitude the Gambrinus’ barley and hops drink. The lid is pewter with a small porcelain inlay on top handpainted with a beautiful edelweiss flower – the symbol of German mountain regions. The thumblift is engraved with the letter “W” – most likely, an initial of the original owner. The stein is in excellent condition – a rare thing for a stein this old. There are no chips or cracks. The lid shows a pewter repair inside where the tang connects. There are some manufacturing impurities in the body, but they are all part of the manual manufacturing process. Remember, the Regensburg steins of the 1860s – 1870s were not industrialized ware, they were made by hand in small shops. The manufacturing glitches only make these pieces even more interesting. It is a large and impressive antique beer vessel with over 140 years of history behind it. It is 9 tall to the top of the thumblift, about 1L capacity. Condition: Body excellent, minor pewter repair inside the lid. Get images that make Supersized seem small. Track Page Views With.