December 2013 Volume III Issue IV

Thirsty Knights
Standard
Volume III Issue IV
DECEMBER 2013
NEXT MEETING
Sunday
December 8, 2013
Plattduetsch Park
Restaurant
1132 Hempstead Tpk.
Franklin Square, NY
11010
516-354-3131
THE BISMARCK
STEINS
By JohnSamuel Coleman, M.A., M.A.
Inside this issue:
Bismarck Steins
1
Beer Trivia
5
Combined
Meeting
6
Minutes
8
Show N Tell
10
Suggestions
12
Otto von Bismarck [April 1,1815-July 30, 1898]
is known as the unifier of Germany. He singlehandedly negotiated the merger of the many
principalities and city states into a single nation,
with the Prussian Hohenzollern Wilhelm I as
Kaiser of Germany, King of Prussia. The date of
German unification was January 17, 1871 and
was celebrated in the famous Hall of Mirrors in
Versailles (Spiegelsaal von Versailles, France).
The quantity of photographs and paintings of
Bismarck is prolific; especially after 1870. The
Bismarck images on beer steins were taken
mostly from photographs and paintings done
after 1880 and after his forced retirement on
March 15, 1890.
The Mettlach Stein #1794 designed by Christian
Warth, dated 1896, is the most well known Bismarck stein among beer stein collectors. This
stein was designed and produced while Bismarck
still lived.
Page 2
Thirsty Knights Standard
THE BISMARCK STEINS
By JohnSamuel Coleman, M.A., M.A.
Bismarck had been in retirement six years. After
the battle of Königgrätz/Sadowa [July 3, 1866];
which ended Austrian territorial claims in Germany. Bismark was then promoted to Generalmajor
und Chef des 7. Schweren Landwehr-Reiter-regiments.
Two years later, in 1868, Bismarck was made Chef
des Landwehr Regiments. The famous Halberstaeter Cuirassiers belonged to this regiment. It
is this uniform Bismarck wore in civilian life always
after 1866. All subsequent photographs and paintings after 1870 show this uniform until his retirement. In full military dress, he wore the helmet
(Pickelhaube). sword, dagger, and medals; usually
in portraits.
The spiked helmet/Pickelhaube or Helm mit Spitze
or as the American WWI soldiers called it, lobster
tails, went through many changes and modifications
since its introduction in the Prussian/German army
in 1843. Volumes have been written on the Picklehaube and zealous collectors have been fooled more
than a few times by imitations, reproductions and
deliberate fakes. Worse yet are artist renditions on
beer steins, which have incorrect details. The spiked
helmet, in the above stein, is such an example, as are
also the epaulets and collar colors. Nevertheless, it is
not the helmet details but the insignia on the helmet,
which makes the stein rare. It is gold sunburst with
Black cameo Prussian eagle in the center
The most famous Bismarck-quote found on German
beer steins is: “Wir Deutsche fürchten Gott, aber
sonst nichts auf/in der Welt, und die Gottesfurcht ist
es schon, die uns den Frieden lieben und pflegen
läßt...” The English translation is: [We Germans fear
God, but nothing else in the world; and it is the fear
of God, which makes us love and foster peace.] This
was part of a speech February 6, 1888, Bismarck
This exceeding rare Bismarck character stein is in the form of an acorn, complete with its shell. This stein has
been reproduced, but without the signature of designer [ see below], without the branch handle, and without
the date Bismarck gave his famous speech. Furthermore, my stein has a verifiable provenance.
Volume III Issue IV
Page 3
THE BISMARCK STEINS
By JohnSamuel Coleman, M.A., M.A.
gave in the German Parliament/Reichtag, requesting an
increase in the size of the German Army. Many do not
know that the first half of this sentence is not as important
as the second half. Nevertheless, it is the first half that is
found on many beer steins and is known and quoted by
millions.
Bismarck was diagnosed with severe debilitating jaundice
in 1873. There are early warning signs of this disease, which
can been seen in his photographs and painting, which can
be seen about 1865. This disease resulted in yellow skin, a
leather-texture to his skin, as well as massive sagging in his
jaws. His hair also became coarse and bleach-white-gray.
The majority [94%] of the existing paintings and photographs of Bismarck were done after 1875. Therefore, an
image of Bismarck from the 1860's on a beer stein or on a
faience beer stein was till now non-existent. This blue white
faience stein was designed and produced by Franz Anton
Mehlem (1840-1890)/Royal Bonn (1890-1920). Villeroy &
Boch had the controlling interest in the Mehlem Company
since circa 1880/1885. Most of Villeroy & Boch Dutch-like
faience beer steins were produced in Franz Anton Mehlem’s
shops. In 1920, Villeroy & Boch bought the company,
which had by that time changed its name to Royal
Bonn. The Bismarck stein is stamped and signed
Franz Anton Mehlem. The image of Bismarck on this
stein or on a faience beer stein was till now nonexistent. This blue white faience stein was designed
and produced by Franz Anton Mehlem (1840-1890)/
Royal Bonn (1890-1920). Villeroy & Boch had the
controlling interest in the Mehlem Company since
circa 1880/1885. Most of Villeroy & Boch Dutch-like
faience beer steins were produced in Franz Anton
Mehlem’s shops. In 1920, Villeroy & Boch bought the
company, which had by that time changed its name to
Royal Bonn. The Bismarck stein is stamped and
signed Franz Anton Mehlem. The image of Bismarck
on this faience beer stein is from a photograph/
painting taken between 1862 and 1869: Bismarck was
the Ambassador to France [May 1862] and later became Minister-President of Prussia [September 23,
1862]. As often in image transfer from photograph or
painting to ceramic, faience, porcelain; there will always be variations/changes/divergences from the original.
1.
Koniggratz/Sadowa is today called Hradec Kralove, and is located in province of Bohemia in the Czech Republic.
2.
Exhibition: BISMARCK-PREUSSEN, DEUTSCHLAND UND EUROPA. Deutsches Historisches Museum; 26.August-25.
November. 1990. Catalogue, pp. 377-378.
3.
Garlepp, Bruno. Germany’s Iron Chancellor. Akron, Ohio, 1897. Publ. The Werner Company. An slated from the original German by Sidney Whitman, F.R.G.S. Pg. 302.
4.
Exhibition: BISMARCK-PREUSSEN.....Pg. 377. Gall, Lothar, Bismarck. Der Weiße Revolutionär. Berlin/Wien, 1980. Verlag Ullstein GmbH. Pgs. 638-641.
Page 4
Thirsty Knights Standard
Seasons Greetings
May the magical wonder of the
holiday season bring Hope, Peace,
and Joy to you and your family.
Volume III Issue IV
Page 5
DO YOU KNOW YOUR BEER TRIVIA
Beer and steins go together “like a horse and carriage”. But how many “truisms” do you know about the elixir that has filled our
precious vessels and that of those in days gone by.
The Huffington Post of April 5, 2013 presented 24 fun facts (some well known-others are not) regarding beer. I do not know if
these statements have been substantiated, but they are listed below for the reader’s amusement and/or edification.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Beer is proof that God loves us – Benjamin Franklin
Zythology – The study of beer and beer making, including the role particular ingredients play in the brewing process.
The oldest written recipes ever discovered by human beings are for making beer written on stone tablets over 5,000
years ago in the form of songs.
Oldest beer ad on a clay tablet - 4000 BC - adorned with a large-breasted woman holding two goblets and is inscribed
with the caption “Drink Ebla Beer – the Beer with the Heart of a Lion”.
The first professional brewers were all women.
Hops used in beer are in the same family of flowering plants as marijuana.
2000 BC – the first recorded drunk driving incident. In ancient Egypt, an inebriated charioteer is apprehended after
running down a vestal virgin of the goddess Hathor. The culprit was crucified on the door of the tavern that sold him
the beer and his corpse was allowed to hang there until scavengers reduce it to bones.
Beer Gone Bad – when British brewers tried to send their pale ales over to India, the beer would go bad during the
long ocean voyage. Beer makers began to add extra alcohol and hops to help with the preservation. This inadvertently
created a new style of extra bitter; extra powerful beers called India Pale Ales (IPAs).
There are 400 types of beer. Belgium has the most individual beer brands in the world.
Cenosillicaphoia – is the fear of an empty beer glass.
Most Expensive Beer: Vielle Bon Secours. This beer is only sold in one bar – Bierdrome in London for $1,000 a bottle.
More Beer Please! The agricultural revolution was started because people needed a way to make more beer. This led
to inventions such as the plow, wheel and irrigation systems.
Beer Made With Spit: Ancient Incan girls ages 8 – 10 would chew corn into a pulp like consistency in their mouths,
then spit the pulp out into huge vats of warm water to sit for several weeks. The viscous, cloudy, lumpy spit filled
mixture would later be strained.
The oldest claimed functional brewery in the world: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan near Munich founded
more than nine centuries ago in the year 1040.
Beer for Health: Beer contains almost all the minerals we need to survive. It was a staple of many diets during European Middle Ages, when good nutrition was rare. You drank beer to survive. Drinking wasn’t just for adults. Children
also consumed beer as source of energy and nutrients.
Beer Makes You Smarter. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that women who drank moderately
had better cognitive function compared to non-drinkers.
Beer Prevents Kidney Stones: A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that ‘beer consumption
was inversely associated with risk of kidney stones (in middle aged men). Each bottle of beer consumed per day was
estimated to reduce risk by 40%’.
Beer Strengthens Your Bones: According to a study of clinical nutrition, beer ‘protects bone-mineral density because
of its high levels of silicon. This allows the deposit of calcium and other minerals into bone tissue.
Women and Beer: Historically, brewing beer was considered a very important and noble task for women. In ancient
Peru women of the elite staffed the breweries. The women had to be of noble birth or extremely beautiful.
“Brewster” is the correct term for a woman who brews beer.
In ancient Egypt there was a written law that prevented men from selling and making beer.
In the 19th century, nursing mothers in Munich, Germany would drink up to seven pints of beer a day under the belief
that this was required in order to breast-feed their children.
Don’t Forget! Drink Your Ration of Beer: One of the oldest laws in the world to be passed is related to beer. Babylonian King Hummurabi decreed that each person was to have a daily ration of beer; determined by their social status.
He then went on to say that women would be disowned if they served bad beer.
Thirsty China: The Czech Republic drinks more beer per capita than any other country. For the past two years, China drinks more beer than any other country (350 million hectoliters). China is the fastest growing beer market in the
world. The U.S. ranks number two by amount, but ranks 11 per capita.
Six Packs to Go: The first beer cans were produced in 1935. Drinkers were no longer going to taverns and breweries
needed to get beer into the homes. The smaller packages made it easier to get beer home.
Thirsty Knights Standard
Page 6
Combined Chapters Meeting
On July 27th the Thirsty Knights, the New England Steiners, and the Student Prince chapters
met at the Eastside German Restaurant for a combined chapter meeting. We want to thank Ron
Jacob for organizing this fun-filled day of comradely and friendship. Please fill out the survey
and send results to Ron Jacob.
____________________________________________________________________________
Survey
OVERALL, DID YOU LIKE THE MEETING ? _______YES ________NO
ANYTHING YOU DID NOT LIKE ?___________________
HOW WAS THE FOOD ?_______GOOD ______BAD ______OKAY
HOW WAS THE SERVICE? ______GOOD _______BAD _______OKAY
HOW WAS THE ATMOSPHERE? ___________________________________________
ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED? ___________________________
WOULD YOU CONSIDER ATTENDING AGAIN ?____________________________
WOULD YOU PREFER A DIFFERENT TIME OF YEAR ?
IF SO, WHEN ?_______________________
ANYONE WILLING TO SPEAK? _____________ WHAT TOPIC?_________________
ANYONE WILLING TO CONDUCT A ‘ROUNDTABLE’ ?
IF SO, TOPIC? ______________________
SHOULD WE HAVE A ‘STEIN AUCTION’ ? ________________________________
FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT ATTEND, WOULD YOU CONSIDER ATTENDING THE
NEXT MEETING ? _____YES ______NO
____________________________________________________________________________
Please send your responses to Ron Jacob at: [email protected]
Ron Jacob
20 Rebecca Rd,
Wrentham, MA 02093
Volume III Issue IV
Page 7
Nuremberg Christmas Market
famous
Favorite souvenirs include the "Nuremberg
Christkindlesmarkt on the Hauptmarkt square in the
Plum People", little figures made from prunes.
old quarter. Soak up the medieval charm and the aro-
For refreshments we highly recommend Nu-
ma
remberg roast sausages and mugs of mulled
The
Christkind
of
opens
gingerbread,
Nuremberg’s
Nuremberg
bratwurst
and
glühwein. The Nuremberg Kinderweihnacht is the chil-
wine.
dren’s market and has an old-
In Nuremberg the staff of the Christmas Mar-
Ferris
ket Council always
wheel and steam train. The
keep a watchful eye
Nativity scene trail runs be-
on the goods being
tween the two markets.
sold by vendors. Ab-
fashioned
carousel,
solutely
forbidden
At 5.30pm on the Friday be-
are any kind modern
fore the first Advent Sunday,
art such as plastic fir
the Christkind opens her mar-
garlands, mass pro-
ket, reciting the solemn pro-
duced toys or non-
logue from the gallery of the
stop taped Christ-
Church of Our Lady.
mas music and carols.
And as every year, by Christmas Eve, more than two
The Nuremberg Christmas Market Stall Hold-
million visitors from all over the world will have sam-
ers also compete for the most beautiful and
pled the delights of the Nuremberg Christmas Market.
tasteful stall design. Since 1981, the City has
About 180 wooden stalls, festooned with red-and-
presented an annual award of gold, silver and
white cloth, have given the Christmas Market its name
bronze "Plum People" to the most beautiful
of "Little Town from Wood and Cloth".
stalls in Nuremberg.
Each year 200 stall holders present their traditional
wares: Nuremberg spicy gingerbread, fruit loaves, bak-
Nuremberg Christmas Market with its traditional image has been a model for many other
German Christmas Markets. Equally the
ery goods, sweets and typical Christmas articles such
"Little Town from Wood and Cloth" has also
as Christmas tree angels, cribs, Christmas tree orna-
been much in demand as a picturesque setting
ments, candles, toys as well as many arts and craft
and backdrop for many TV productions.
products.
Page 8
Thirsty Knights Standard
Chapter Minutes for the meeting of September 15, 2013
Not unlike homing pigeons, twenty-six Thirsty Knights came to roost at the Crow’s Nest
located in Hackensack, New Jersey. The meeting held on September 15, 2013 commenced
at 12:10 p.m. with the following officers in attendance: President Richard Walter, First Vice
President Johnsamuel Coleman, Second Vice President Jon Hoffmann, Secretary and Treasurer Lorraine Merz.
Due to a sudden onset of illness Frank Pociadlo, our scheduled guest speaker, had to cancel his appearance. We wished him a speedy recovery and will extend another invitation
to speak at a future date.
To fill the vacancy left by our absentee speaker, Rich Walter screened the 1959 Schultz and
Dooley television commercials for our membership. These commercials became the West
End Brewing Company’s (WEBCO) most accomplished ad campaign and the ‘spokes mugs’
an audience favorite.
Although constructed of wood, it was through puppeteer Bill Baird’s skillful animation that
made these character mugs so life like and recognizable. Vocalization was provided by the
talented comedian Jonathan Winters who gave Schultz and Dooley the German and Irish
accents, respectively. This winning combination was so successful that the commercials
received awards from the Art’s Director’s Club and honors at the Cannes Film Festival.
In 1959, riding on the popularity of the ads, 5,000 steins were manufactured as promotional
items. They were produced in Germany by Wuerfel and Mueller (King Werks) and imported by Schmetzer Inc. of NY. Code numbers were marked below their handles. Also offered for sale, the pair of steins sold for $9.85. Their value in today’s collectible market is
estimated to be as high as $1,200 for an original set of Schultz & Dooley.
From 1972 – 1982 the steins came from Ceramarte in Brazil. The Schultz stein was painted in slightly different colors (the head was painted gold and his body white) to distinguish
it from the original Schultz.
From 1984 – 1985 the steins were imported by MIE Importers in Liverpool, NY.
From 1985 – 1999 Gerz in Sessenback, West Germany manufactured the steins until the
firm went out of business in 1999. Production then reverted to King Werks Wuerfel
Mueller of Hoehr Grenzhausen, Germany from the period 2000 – 2003.
In 2004 China became the production center for the Schultz and Dooley steins. Tradex
Import/Export, GmbH, Germany handled the importation.
The Schultz and Dooley commercials brought a smile, a chuckle and, to some, fond memories of earlier times.
The next film in Rich’s basket of videos was a short on modern stein making. Although a
basic 101 course, the movie may have revealed some forgotten or overlooked steps for
our members.
The last CD dealt with Franz Ringer: his life and works and was purchased by the Thirsty
Knights from the SCI Library.
Volume III Issue IV
Page 9
Chapter Minutes
Continued
By-Laws:
The draft by-laws were discussed at length and numerous suggestions and proposals advanced. As such, a vote on acceptance was postponed and an edited
version will be written and presented to the membership at the December 8,
2013 meeting.
Convention 2013:
Update– Los Angeles: Johnsamuel Coleman reported on the refusal of the SCI
Executive board, to allow him to present our chapter’s proposal to host the
2016 convention in Corning, NY. Rich has been informed that Chicago has also
placed a bid for that year. SCI has tabled their decision until the next SCI Executive Board meeting at the Pittsburg Convention.
Convention 2014:
Pittsburgh, PA
The East will once again host a SCI convention Sept. 5- 7, 2014. There may be
some pre-conventions events that will begin the day after Labor Day (Sept. 2nd).
it is not too early to mark your calendars. This is your “Save the Date” re
minder.
Meetings:
Due to the high volume of “steins for sale” at recent club meetings, Rich Walter has requested members notify him or Lorraine Merz of their intention to
bring a large amount of steins to the luncheon. In this way it can be determined if the number of tables and space that is available will adequately accommodate our “selling and seating” needs.
Lorraine also asked for feedback on Angelina’s (June 9th meeting locale) as it
was the first time the club has met at this restaurant. Response was weak; neither for nor against. Another venue may be pursued.
Treasurer’s Report:
Lorraine Merz gave the Treasurer’s Report for the period June 9, 2013 – Sept.
14, 2013. The club remains in good standing; income and expenditures noted.
The report was accepted and approved by the membership.
OTHER:
Drawing:
Rich Walter - $27.50, won the 50/50 raffle
Freebies
Hermann Merz brought some literature to the meeting for the members to
partake. The items included Falstaff’s Complete Beer Book, a set of John Harrell’s Regimental Quarterly and numerous auction catalogs.
Respectfully submitted
Lorraine Merz
Secretary
Page 10
Thirsty Knights Standard
SHOW ‘N’ TELL
Although the turnout for today’s meeting was
smaller than usual, we did have a number of members in the queue for Show ‘n’ Tell.
whitish/tan background. Four hunters, with
weapons leaning against the table, are listening
to a fifth man in their party. The scene, in all
likelihood, took place in a tavern and the speak-
Marty Cameli: Marty brought a bounty of five
steins for today’s Show ’n’ Tell.
Glass Stein: The first stein is a ¼ liter splayed
shaped glass stein with a tin lid. It is hand painted
with two beautiful pink and blue colored homing
pigeons on the body. It is inscribed with the
words “Gut Flug” (Good Flight). It was probably
a prize stein given to the winner of a pigeon race.
Based solely on the size and shape of the stein,
polished lid
and delicate enameling,
one could imagine the winner giving this stein as a
gift to a favored lady.
HR 246: A ½ liter enameled rich brown colored
stein with deep blue flowers on the sides, this piece
holds an inscription on its body that reads (when
translated) “From the Cradle to the Casket Drinking is the Only Thing” (meaning everything). The
lid is made of pewter and depicts the Munich Child
and two shooting targets (one in the shape of a
heart the other a round
bull’s eye). The lid appears
to be unrelated to the stein
and may have been a replacement.
HR 187/65: This is a ½
liter hand painted porcelain stein. The scene on
the body is either a copy
of a Franz von Defregger
(1835-1921) work or in his
style of painting. This famous artist drew mostly
tavern scenes or portraits of Tyrolean and Bavarian locals. In this particular setting a storyteller
(who may or may not be Defregger) is regaling two
women with his tales. The lid is made of pewter
and has the code HRRZ on the underside that
indicates Federally approved pewter was used in
its production. The HR stein was manufactured in
Freising approximately 34 miles from Munich.
Marty wrote an informative article entitled “More
on Defregger Steins” for the March 2006 issue of
Prosit.
HR 19/26: A similar stein to the one described
above, it is a 1-liter hand-painted stein with a
er may be telling the others about “the stag that
got away”.
D&B Stein: The last stein in Marty’s collection
is a Dumbler and Breiden ½ liter pottery relief
dressed in blue and cream colors. It is a homing
pigeon stein. The body of the stein
has the German eagle on the top, two crossed
pigeon feathers in the middle and the
head of a pigeon on the bottom. There are four
scenes: (1) pigeons flying over land
(2) pigeons flying over water 3) pigeons housed
in a carrier being taken to the race
registration location and (4) a crowd of on look-
ers watching the pigeons being set free
at the release point.
There is an inlay lid with a cream-colored pigeon
resting on a dark blue background. The inscription reads “German Homing Pigeon Association”. Along the top band, under the lid, are the
Volume III Issue IV
Page 11
SHOW ‘N’ TELL
words “The Very Most High Protector His Majesty the Kaiser and King” followed by the German Eagle.
this piece and would appreciate any information on its usage.
Johnsamuel Coleman: Johnsamuel discussed the
life and times of Otto von Bismarck. He
brought several beer steins that depicted Bismarck, especially one that was unusual and rare
in that it was an image of Bismarck at an early
age. Attached is a lengthy article by Johnsamuel on this subject matter.
Jon Hoffmann: Jon showed the membership an
unusual ½ liter home made wooden mug dated
1941. It is believed to come from the Croatia/
Slovenia area of Europe. The body has burnt in
designs; plants geometric shapes and even a
replica of the mug itself. It is carved from a
single piece of wood; including the handle.
Writing, in a yet unidentified language, is
scrawled across
the base of the
mug.
The
words,
when
translated,
might reveal the
significance of
the symbols on
the mug. Is it a
ceremonial cup that was utilized during the rite
of marriage? Further research is required to
discovery its origin and importance.
Dennis Ramshaw: The item that Dennis brought
today is somewhat of a mystery. It is a brown
and gray ceramic with shading and appears to
have been sprayed painted (remnants of paint
can be found inside). This stoneware mug is
approximately 1 liter in size, has a handle and
pinched side that could accommodate a lid.
Gerz manufactured this object somewhere between 1960 and 1980. It is also tapered and the
inside is rough. But what makes this piece such
an oddity is that it appears to represent a beer
mug but it is completely open on all sides! Inside the mug are silhouettes of a woman and
bearded man. The questions remain: Should
this mug have a liner or mold that can be
slipped in and out and if so, could it hold some
liquid contents without leakage? Is it a puzzle
stein? Dennis has yet to discover the purpose of
Al Schroeder: Al held his ½ faceted glass
stein, circa 1890-1920. The scene on the
hand-enameled body is that of a beerdrinking enthusiast who may have reached
his intake limit. He sees a vision of the
Munich child rising above the foam in his
stein. The apparition asks: “Gel du trinkst
noch eins”. English translation: “Surely
you will drink another”. Time for our imbiber to hang his stein on the tavern hook.
THIRSTY KNIGHTS
Help make this newsletter a success!
Newsletter Committee
Lorraine Merz
[email protected]
516-352-0138
Richard H. Walter
[email protected]
973-345-7503
Copyright 2013
Thirsty Knights
Please send your email address to Richard Walter at [email protected] so
we may email you future issues of the
Thirsty Knights Standard.
This newsletter will only be a success
with your help. It is being written be a
couple of hard working members but
they need help! I call upon you to come
up with some new and fresh ideas.
We are looking for your suggestions. We
want to make The Thirsty Knights a better organization to serve your needs.
Please send us your suggestions on how
to improve both our enjoyment of our
collecting hobby and our social time together.
We have already received some suggestions. Please add yours to the list!
Rich Walter