157 - Mettlach Ewer of the Corps Guestfalia Greifswald to the Kartell Corps Marchia Berlin, 1899

Mettlach Ewer of the Corps Guestfalia Greifswald to the Kartell Corps Marchia Berlin, 1899 Stoneware, cream glazed, hand-painted in colours, large ewer by Villeroy & Boch, Mettlach, on the base the impressed abbey mark with “METTLACH” and monogram “VB”, together with “GESCHÜTZT” and model number 2214, base number “3558”, with spout, relief moulded ribbed bands and ornamentally executed handle, on the body the hand-painted full coat of arms of the Corps Guestfalia Greifswald, quartered with Westphalian horse, pair of duelling sabres (Schläger) in oak leaves with the letters “G U N”, green-white-black colour field and circle (Zirkel) “C.P.A.H.”, surmounted by a helmet with green-white-black plume, surrounded by the device “Guestfalia sei's Panier!”, below it the motto “Neminem time, neminem laede” (“Fear no one, harm no one”), the reverse with a large dedication inscription “Einem wohllöbl. C.C. der Marchia zu Berlin für freundl., gewährten Waffenschutz S. 1899 S.”, very good condition with minimal traces of use, D. 17.5 cm, H. 37 cm. 360-degree photo available on our website. The Corps Marchia Berlin, founded on 26 November 1810 and thus the oldest student fraternity in Berlin, bears the colours orange-white-gold and is one of the Kartell corps of the Corps Guestfalia Greifswald, which was founded in 1837 and belongs to the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband (KSCV), founded in 1848. The initials “G U N” in the sabre field stand for Guestfalia's arms motto “Gladius ultor noster!”. In fraternity usage, Waffenschutz means assuming responsibility for another party in Mensur fencing; the protecting party is liable for its conduct, and the two do not fence Mensuren against each other. The stoneware jug comes from the Villeroy & Boch factory in the former Benedictine abbey of Mettlach on the Saar, which Jean-François Boch acquired in 1809. In 1836 Boch and Nicolas Villeroy merged their works to form Villeroy & Boch. The impressed abbey mark is found on Mettlach products from 1882 to 1931.