Glass beer mug "Special Courier"

From the collection of Paulo Vik Falcon

An antique glass beer mug "Special Courier".

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The mug was made using the technique of blowing into a mold.

The mug was made before 1860. This is evidenced by the style of the rider's uniform. It is also worth noting that the mug does not have a capacity mark. The capacity mark became mandatory after 1871, when Germany was unified.
On the rider's left thigh, we see a horn. This is a symbol of the postal service. Before the unification of the German states, postal messengers were subordinate to their regional authorities. This obliged them to reach the recipient's address on their own, without the assistance of local intermediaries. As a result, the courier had a spare horse on their journey. This is evident in the image. It was not until the unification of German territories in 1871 that a unified postal system was established. As a result, the need for couriers with spare horses to deliver mail across Europe was eliminated. The service was now provided on a relay basis.
On the back of the courier horse's rump, there is a mark indicating its ownership by a specific German aristocratic family. Unfortunately, it is not possible to identify the name of the owner of this mark. However, this does not diminish the collectible value of this ancient beer mug.

View the collection of Paulo Vik Falcon

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