Early 20th Cent. Large Vintage Bearded Man Lidded German Beer Stein / Pitcher

Description

Rare and Beautiful Early 20th Cent. Large Vintage Bearded Man Lidded German Beer Stein / Pitcher
Many thanks to the help of Sam, an Ebay stein collector, who informed me that the stein was made by Matthias Girmscheid.
https://www.beerstein.net/item.asp?ItemNum=gir-0456
Tyrolean Couple
Catalog No. 456
Pottery or stoneware, relief, 1.5L, pewter lid.
This is an early 20th century interpretation of a form that dates back to around 1550. Bearded man  jugs
(Bartmannkrüge)
feature the face of a bearded man at the neck representing the mythical woodland Wild Man of Germanic folklore, a symbol of strength and endurance.
See also No.
458
.
Condition is "Used", see photos for details. Lid appears to have split at one time but was repaired well.
https://www.beerstein.net/articles/girm-intro.asp
History
Matthias Girmscheid was born in 1845 to merchant parents and began his working life in the family tradition, opening his own trading firm in 1870 in the town of Höhr (now Höhr-Grenzhausen), at the center of Germany’s principal stoneware production area. In 1871, he married Theresia Gerz, daughter of the potter Philipp Jakob Gerz, which no doubt contributed to his decision to change his career from marketing to production.
Girmscheid’s manufacturing company began it’s life in 1884 and was apparently engaged initially in the manufacture of clay pipes. State records from 1893 list the firm as a pipe factory with ten employees. It is not known precisely when Girmscheid expanded his operation to include the manufacture of beer steins and related stoneware products, but by 1903 the firm was listed as a “stoneware factory” and the employer of forty workers.
In 1920, in what was almost certainly a response to Germany’s difficult post-war economy, Girmscheid merged with the firm of Gilles & Sohn. In 1930, two years following the death of Matthias Girmsched, the composition of the firm changed again. The new firm was called Girmscheid, Michels & Company, and included among its owners: Karl Girmscheid, who had taken over for his father; Simon Gilles, of Gilles & Sohn; and Alfons and Eduard Michels. However, this partnershp was to survive for only one year and, in 1931, the firm of “Matthias Girmscheid” returned to independent operations.
Following the death of Karl Girmscheid in 1950, the company went through a series of ownership changes, but it continues in operation today, enjoying a healthy business focused principally on the manufacture of traditional salt-glazed tableware and decorative items.
Shipped carefully and thoughtfully with USPS Priority Mail.