Type 2: This mark is the same as the preceeding one except that the capacity line consists of a single jagged line. This mark was used from 1876 to 1882 which includes the period in which Albert Hauber was the sole owner (Aug. 1878 to sometime in 1882). Types 1 and 2, were used interchangably during the first three years of Freising operations.

Type 3: This is the mark you will find on the majority of "HR" steins. It came into use in 1882 when Albert Hauber and Hans Reuther became partners. It continued in use until 1886 when the next mark was introduced. Note that the "L" now has a serif on top and the capacity line has vertical terminators.

Type 4: This mark came into use in late 1886 and was carried over into early porcelain production.

Type 4b: This mark is the same as the last and was used in early porcelain production until it was discovered that incised marks were causing the porcelain steins to break during the initial firing process. Use of this mark on porcelain steins was limited to early 1887.

Type 6: This mark replaced the preceeding mark and became the standard porcelain capacity mark. It was painted on light colored surfaces and scratched in on dark backgrounds and because they are hand done, no two are exactly alike. This mark was used from 1887 until ca.1905, when porcelain production came to an end.

Type 7: This mark is found on steins manufactured for Hauber & Reuther by Merkelbach & Wick from late 1886 to ca.1897.

Type 8: This mark is found on steins maufactured for Hauber & Reuther by S. P. Gerz in late 1886.

Type 9: Pre Hauber & Reuther Freising, 1876-1882.

Type 9b: Hauber & Reuther, 1882-1886.

Type 10: HR marked steins manufactured by Gerz, 1886.

Type 11: HR Marked steins manufactured by Merkelbach & Wick, late 1886-ca.1897.

QC Marks: For the sake of discussion I've called these geometric, or pictorial, stamps Quality Control (Q.C.) marks. These are a few of the more than a dozen recorded. One of the most common, is the one on the upper left that looks like an Edelweiss. These stamps were applied while the clay was still damp and were used from 1876 to 1886.

Tally Marks: The Decorator's Initial, or Tally Mark, for lack of a better term, is a scratched in initial that may belong to the person who decorated the piece. Of those seen so far the "K," "b," "L," and what looks like a "Jc," probably a sloppy "M," are the most common. It is quite possible that the decorators were paid by the piece and these initials were tally marks. The initials were scratched in after the clay had dried and were used from 1876 to 1886. There are more than a dozen of these recorded as well.

Type 1a - incised: There are at least five varieties of this logo and they were used interchangeably on steins manufactured in Freising from 1882-1886. This logo is found on both stoneware and porcelain steins. I know of no pieces marked with the "type 1a" logo that are also marked "Germany," or "Made in Germany."

Type 1b - hand painted: This is the only example of this mark that I have ever encountered. Four pieces of this particular model have been reported and the other three are marked with an incised, "type 1a" logo. This mark is NOT written over a lightly tooled (inscribed) mark. I have no explanation for its existance.

Type 1c/2 - inscribed and hand painted: It is used on all porcelain steins manufactured in Freising after 1886. This mark is inked over a lightly tooled (inscribed) mark and is not to be confused with the "type 1b" logo, or the "type 5" mark. This logo may have been used as early as the latter part of 1886. There are numerous varieties of the "type 1c/2," HR logo, because they were hand done and no two were exactly alike.

Type 3 pseudo logo - incised: This mark was used on all HR steins produced by Merkelbach & Wick from 1886 on. The term "pseudo" logo refers to the fact that while this is an HR logo it was applied by a factory other than Freising.

Type 4 pseudo logo - incised: This logo was used on all HR steins produced by Gerz. These pieces were made in very small numbers probably in the latter part of 1886. None of the pieces I have seen are marked "Germany," or "Made in Germany." Note the narrow "H." Again, the term "pseudo" logo refers to the fact that while this is an HR logo it was applied by a factory other than Freising.

Type 6 - rubber stamped: A variety of these "type 6" rubber stamped marks exist. They were used in exactly the same manner as the "type 5" mark. It is my belief that when Hauber & Reuther used these rubberstamped marks, they were no longer actually producing steins and for whatever time they had left, they were simply a finishing shop. If my belief is correct, production at the Freising factory ended ca.1905

Type 7 pseudo logo - incised: More than ten years after it was discontinued at the Freising factory, the "type 1a" HR logo seemingly reappeared on a small number of steins manufactured by A. J. Thewalt. To date, two model numbers, 600 and 601, have been recorded. Even though this appears to be a "type 1a" logo, it has a very narrow "H" similar to the "Type 4" pseudo logo.

Type 8 pseudo logo - incised: As you can see the "HR" logo is incised and very similar to the "type 1a" logo. However, unlike the Types 4 and 7 with the narrow "H'" this one has a narrow "R." As the logo was applied to a model #743 at the Reinhold Hanke factory, rather than the Freising factory, it is again given the designation of a "pseudo logo."

Type 5 - hand painted: This mark is NOT inked over a lightly tooled (inscribed) "HR" mark. From 1886 on, with the exception of some Thewalt manufactured steins, the "type 5" mark was used on all steins decorated in Freising, OVER PREVIOUSLY APPLIED DECOR, whether they were manufactured there or not. Note: On this mark the top of the "R" extends over and beyond the righthand upright of the "H" and is followed by a period. Where the marks include "Germany," or a decor number, they are also followed by a period. Because they were hand painted, no two are alike.

Decor Numbers - var.1: Decor /model numbers are found in three configurations. Var.1 is found on pre-HR, Freising pieces that include the incised Freising model number, as well as the HR "Type 5" decorator mark and a new decor/model number, both of which are followed by a period.

Decor Numbers - var.2: This variation is found primarily on HR, hand painted porcelain steins following the model number and there will also be a "Type 5" decorator mark, and probably the word "GERMANY," all followed by a period.

Decor Numbers - var.3: This variety is found on Merkelbach & Wick produced steins, hand painted by HR, that have no model numbers. In this case the decor/model number actually becomes the model number. It is also followed by a period.

Hand Scratched: From time to time you might encounter a stein that has a hand etched model number, quality control mark and/or HR logo. There could be any number of reasons for this, some have suggested they might be prototypes, but I think the reason is simply that wherever the steins were to receive their marks, they were somehow overlooked and when the omission was later discovered, perhaps by the decorator, the marks were added by hand. There is also a possibility that for a short period in late 1876, the factory was without a stamp set causing them to hand apply the model numbers. In the case of the hand etched "HR," all that I have seen are on Gerz manufactured pieces.

HR Lids: Lids marked "HR RZ" are found on about 40% of all Hauber & Reuther steins. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to their use. They are found on all types of HR steins from all periods, blue and grey Freising stoneware 1882-1886, Freising porcelain from 1886 on, ivory stoneware manufactured for HR by Merkelbach & Wick after 1886, and Gerz manufactured blue and grey, HR steins c.1886. Some have numbers, suggesting that there may have been a catalog of available lids.

Gesetzlich geschutzt: This mark is found on both saltglaze stoneware and porcelain steins produced after 1885 by Hauber & Reuther. One is spelled in all lower case letters and the other begins with a capital "G". The one with all lower case letters is found only on stonware steins and the upper case "G" is found only on porcelain steins.

Germany: From 1887 on, the word "Germany" is found on Hauber & Reuther marked steins that were destined for export. The hand written example is found on porcelain steins and the rubber stamped example is found on HR marked steins manufactured by Merkelbach & Wick.

LB&C: Thanks to a serendipitous discovery by Walt Vogdes we can now say that LB&C was very likely L. Bauernfreund & Co. of Munich, a pewter foundry/finishing shop/distributor founded in 1883. We find some porcelain character steins made by a factory other than Freising but in the narrow bodied early Freising style that have "LBCM" stamped into their pewter, usually on the shank. Mike Wald noted that he had encountered an LB&C stein with "LBCM" stamped on the shank, making the connection between the two marks. The steinzeug, or salt glaze stoneware pieces marked LB&C were all made by Hauber & Reuther.

Plato & Co.: Plato & Co. is an unidentified finishing shop. Where it was located is also unknown. The only stein I've seen with this mark is a Hauber & Reuther, model #160. There are several such pieces reported.

T.W. - Theodor Wieseler: Theodor Wieseler was located in Nuremberg. He owned an "Einrichtungs Magazinen," or home furnishing warehouse. His establishment provided everything for the home including beer steins and part of the business was a "Bierkrugfabrik" with "Zinngiesserei" and "Malerei," or finishing shop with pewter and paint shops. Note, that the all lower case "geseztlich geschutzt" is the same size and font as that used on HR steins and is the same as that used with the LB&C mark above. Many factories made steins for Theodor Wieseler, HR, Merkelbach & Wick, Gerz, and Matthias Girmscheid to name a few.

A. Wahnschaffe: A.Wahnschaffe - The entire logo reads: "A. Wahnschaffe königl.(ich) bayer.(ischer) Hoflieferant Nürnberg." This tells us that A. Wahnschaffe was located in Nürnberg and that he was "Purveyer to the Royal Bavarian Court." According to a tourist guidebook ca.1905, the company dealt in "Retail and wholesale toys, carvings from the Bavarian highland, portfolios, fancy goods and souvenirs of Nürnberg. To date, only two steins are known with this mark, both were manufactured by Hauber & Reuther.