RK Stein (Fantasy)

[Gary B]

Hi,

I was not sure where to put this piece since it is a fantasy piece, but I thought it was interesting. I first saw these steins in the 70s in Shotgun News. Although I have seen 1 article on them in an antique magazine in the 80s I have never seen anything else published on them nor have I seen any for sale at shows.

This stein is supposed to be to MAJ Jurgen Harder of JG53, an RK witrh Oaks recipient.

Does anyone know the history of these? Were these actually made for pilots to buy post war or were they made for the collecting community. I have never seen 2 identical steins. Initially steins were only available for Luftwffe personnel but later General officer steins, Navy ace and Heer Tank ace steins became available.

Gary B

[Gary B]

Back side

[Gary B]

Oblique

[JAYP]

I remember the Shotgun News Ads,They had Steins from Kurt Waldheim,Rommel,Sepp Deitrich and just about any Knights Cross Holder you can imagine,all with the appropriate service motif.
They are 100% fake.If I remember correctly they are RZM marked on the bottom.Jay Parisi

[Gary B]

Bottom

I think they are actually pretty. "Splitting hairs" ref words a fake is a copy of something. These never existed originally so thay are fantasy pieces.

Gary B

[mike y]

I like too. It's a nice little collectors item, and if the price was right I'd buy one.
They probably make the beer taste extra good

[tinmantis]

wow
that's what a call a maker's mark! did they miss any out?

regards
jon

[Bob Hritz]

They were made in Wisconsin, if I remember correctly. The fellow made them for anyone who interested him and sold them from Shotgun News. I believe he only made one to represent each soldier. I always thought they were pretty tacky and of low quality.

Bbo Hritz

[Kondor]

Bier Steins

I actually own two of these, both are for the Kriegsmarine and they are for common sailors (No RKT). One is for the U-Boats and the other is for the S-Boats. They both have great Iron Crosses on one side and then the respective war badges. I picked one up back in the 8's in an antik shop in Tombstone, AZ. It even had a West German Customs tag on the handle to give the impression that they were imported from Germany. I paid all of $25.00 for it and it does look great alongside its brother on the shelf above my desk. I had heard that (rumour control) that they were made in Milwaukee, Wisconsin back in the 70's and that no two were alike. They are extremely well made and yes, over marked on the bottom. The antik dealer in Tombstone said that they were made for the veterans reunions in Germany, but even the Waffen SS Veterans didn't make anything that had the swastica in the center of the Iron Cross. I'll be watching as I too would like to find out the history on these! And yes the bier tastes better from one of these!

[Ludwig]

Crap. But funny crap.

[Gary B]

Hi,

I was hoping Bob Hritz saw this thread. I figured (correctly) that if one person would have info on these it would be him. I actually thought of PMing you to view this thread, thx Bob!

Roger Steele was the individual who sold these in the 70s/80s. As I recall they were initially to "unknown" Luftwaffe personnel. As time went on the steins became "fancier" (I have one with Hermann Gorings special Shoulder board insignia on it and a picture of HG on it) i.e. to notable Germans and eventually to all branches of the Service. Unique Imports in Alexadria VA sold a few.

Despite the decade or so thay were advertised in Shotgun news I have only seen one for sale at a show.

I have heard that they have become collectors items in their own right. pewrhaps I should start a thread in another section on these....but which one...

Gary B

[Tom B]

I remember these piece's of crap from the 70's & 80's. I was hoping I'd NEVER see them again, but here they are ! Tom