Object Description
Antique German engraved pewter beer jug
German, early 19th Century
Height 64cm, width 31cm, depth 41cm
This large German jug is crafted from pewter, an alloy of tin prized for its decorative qualities. The jug features a cylindrical body, tapering from a narrower top to a wider bottom, which is set on three lion-form feet. The jug is topped with a lid set with a lion-form finial. The body of the jug features a handle and a spout, which issues from a lion’s head mask. An engraved crest is set to the centre of the body, reading the names of four guild masters, namely Erhart Binder, Georg Langner, Hanns Schuster, and Wilhelm Seitz.
It bears the mark of Johann Christoph Norman, who became a master pewter smith in 1786. This particular mark is from the period dating 1799-1811. It is likely a commission of the Mullers guild for the replacement of a damaged ceremonial flagon that was originally 17th century, but the construction and the maker’s mark on this piece are all late 18th to early 19th features.