New-York tribune., 1896-09-27

a question to which Is now t,e more neH''""ie
present of the two in the mind Of the under
graduate.
In al these cases 1t is to be presumed that the
stems are intended for at least occasional use al
though il must he confessed that ornamentation IS
the chief idea. But there are many purchasers OF
the German beer mugs who would never dream OF
filing them with that fluid or any other They are
meant solely to he looked at; to be handled II AT
ALL with the utmost respect. and high place
amid the more old-fashioned and consequently
less interesting brca-brac Of the room is awarded
them. Women form "A large portion OF the class
which regards the stein decorative object pure
and simple. Some importers in the city have rooms
reserved especially for their women customers. VINO
drop in frequently to inquire whether there are any
novelties in the designs or In the ware Itself
All the stems in this country are imported from
GERMANY and nearly all of them from the Rhine
provinces. The oldest and best-known manufac-
tories some OF which have been in existence for a
century and half. are in Rhenish Prussia, the
Duchy of Luxembourg and in Lorraine. certain
kinds of ware characterize !he different places but
the processes to which the clay and stone are sub
jected I'm the making are kept carefully guarded by
the pcssessors of the secret Lime Is OF tho
chief ingredients of the softer earthenware mugs,
and ground quartz and feldspar form the basis or
the harder The glazing is an art which has taken
the greatest amount of study and experiment to
develop successfully.
II
All the figures and inscriptions must be painted on.
and the mug then fired. as in china decoration in
this country. The work upon the most costly
specimens Is of a high order of merit. Some of the
raised scroll ornamentaton can be made by put
ting the soft clay into Il mould but the figures of
men and animals which stand out In relief are
formed by an artist modeller, who must be good
deal OF a sculptor, i'm his way.
Familiar scenes from history and from fiction are
favorte subjects for illustration on the stems The
'"rrompeter Sakkngen' is dashing and enec-
tive figure on one handsome mug. which also bears
a quotation in German from the work All the in
scriptions are in either German Latin, and natur
ally lose most of their charm or wit when trans
lated A mug with a sombre, gray groundwork has
on one side Swiss mountaineer. dressed In rich
shades of golden brown. Another shows black
smith hammering at his forge. and bears this ad-
vice below First finish thy work: then drink and
be merry" A stein Of remarkably delicate coloring
and subdued glaze has a graceful figure of youth
drinking The accompanying verse, emphatic and
to the point may be freely translated thus
"Who waters his wine and
The devil viii have him.
Without fear"
Not all stems hold the amount one might sup
pose from glance at them as they stand on inc no
on the inside are deporably common One such
recently observed bore an inscription which unu.I
the circumstances. was highly ironcal: God ioV-
Gonsnicuous among the smaller mugs upon which
various drinking are painted mere Is IN one
window A tall stately specimen which was evil
IDENTIFY made by the potter when IN rvIliaouS ,IiD
mood ON It's surface figures OF Luther. Meidhc-
thon and Calvin stand out In relief each under a
Gothic arch. resembling the doorway OF a churcn
Tbe roloring is severe but the size OF the stein is
most generous and this is the motto: Let us nave
the True Word ready money br ana sDSd 0y b an ex
nerienced drnker must quail. has spirited repre-
senfation OF the Herrmannschlacht IN the I'm
tohurger Wad, which battle occurred IN inc year
b scenes wherein monks and knights are
nromnent are very common. and usually excel
ienflv drawn one elaborate stein, IN facl Is coin-
posed of the figure Of monk In black robes WIN
in Munich The Laughing and crying stems
are among the most amusing me so.e , aeoo a., sv d
of each consisting OF grotesqusV uss ri O' ali IL The
yellow or cream-colored ware Nearly an A,io e,io
seins are provided with lids, hinged on JUST apoNe
IN. handle These usually Of pewter or . zlnc,
but there different qualities or me ,i me r evnn
T., fe>y very aristocratc and oNerbearlng s'elns
Of solid silver 1t is fact that the pewter % IS we
mil nsii,ns nerhaps appealing the beer-over as
being more appropriate TO the beverage. -.
II is essentially German TO drihk peer -, droln an il
i,h SOMETHING approaching the Teutonc method.
sltbouph according to most German critics. tney
by no means to c1nsidsr M ,baf AmerIcans can
P, foreet their National habit of hurrying 40
1.or,oan is ever guilty Of that faut IN ms psr.
drinking lie sits down al ms h..ae iounu hour in
irat,ine his stein He picks it up sips al H. puts
!, dawn and takes pleasure in merely watching tie
,, from gro Aing fiat 1t Is said moreover that
~ .nerican beer Is not well adapted lot use III
scins as the imported for the reason tnas s ans "a
"a yin, so soon That may be pleaded as an eA-
cuse for drinking rapidly but me iac. ongh VET
that Americans have not advanced lal ,h Or
tn that branch OF their education 10 Iei the 'c'
~ !. m. u - ., oin With the respect which Is Its due