83 - Reservist's stein 1. Kgl. Sächs. Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 12 Dresden, lithophane, 2nd half 20th century

Reservist's stein 1. Kgl. Sächs. Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 12 Dresden, lithophane, 2nd half 20th century Porcelain, polychrome painted, glazed. Cylindrical reservist's stein on a flared foot, inscribed in Fraktur in the upper encircling band “1. Kgl. Sächs. Pionier-Bat. Nr. 12 Dresden 2 Comp. 1903/1905”. Encircling main scene with pioneers at pontoon drill on the Elbe before the Dresden skyline, with the verse “Wir standen an der Elbe Strand / Zum Schutze für König u. Vaterland”; beside it a trophy group with a portrait medallion of an officer in a laurel wreath, lance pennants, white pontoon halves and pioneer equipment above the red “12” on a black shoulder strap. On both sides of the handle multi-column name lists of the company, below the banner “Erinnerung an meine Dienstzeit.” and in the foot band the name “Pionier Richard Frommhold.”; the foot with an ochre oak-leaf band and a band wound in the Saxon state colours green and white. Lithophane in the base: soldier taking leave of his wife standing on a balcony. Richly relief-decorated pewter lid with banderoles (“Reserve hat Ruh”, “Der treu gedient hat seine Zeit”), surmounted by a fully modelled pioneer figure with anchor, oval relief cartouche with the Saxon coat of arms as thumb lift. Rim of the pewter lid with notches, a small unevenness on the underside of the foot ring, good condition commensurate with age. H. 29 cm. 360-degree photo available on our website. Reservist's steins were acquired by the conscripts of the German Empire as souvenirs at the end of their period of service; their heyday lay between the 1890s and the First World War. The 1st Royal Saxon Pioneer Battalion No. 12 was stationed in Dresden; the pontoon scene on the Elbe shows its training duty before the skyline of the royal residence city.