Friday, September 12, 2025

Funky Friday: Musical Heidelberg

An long time lawyer friend of mine collects German Beer Steins. I had no idea how much of a hobby this was, it is good thing Fred made a lot of money, he has a large collection. He built a room in his home just to display them. 

A few years ago, the annual stein collectors convention was in Annapolis Maryland, about 40 miles from where I live.  Fred reached out to me, and invited me to join him and his girlfriend for dinner at the convention.  Needless to say, a good time was had by all.  Dinner was followed by a fundraiser auction of steins donated by members of the collectors club. 

This one caught my eye, the design is nice, but what set it apart for me, is there is a music box in the bottom of it. When you lift it up, Edelweiss plays, when you set it down it stops.  I don't remember what I paid for it, when the bidding stopped the person sitting across from me said, "you paid too much, it will take you years to get your money back out of it." I didn't buy it as an investment, I bought it because I liked it. 

Ten years ago we spent a couple of weeks driving in Germany, I booked all of the hotels, we spent a night in Heidelberg.  

The arts group here at the condo has a glass display case in the community center, the theme for the current show is Oktoberfest, this stein is in the display that opens this weekend. 
 

19 comments:

  1. I hope you get to fill it once and have some beer in it this October!!!! And don't forget to wear your plaid shirt and Lederhosen.

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  2. When I was 19, my sister move to Germany and, on my first visit, I bought a couple of beer steins. It soon became a collection. Nothing as extravagant as yours with the music box, however. My mother then started adding to the collection by buying beer glasses, mugs, you name it. It was odd after that. Some gay friends commented that it was a very straight thing to collect. And now, I have no idea what I did with them all before we moved to Spain.

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  3. The stein playing Edelweiss sounds rather cool. Never dare taint it by filling it with Bud

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    1. I'd sooner drink Pepsi - a poor quality substitute for Coke.

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  4. When my parents were in Germany for my dad's Army assignment, they bought quite a few steins. Those steins are close to 70 years old now and my brothers have them somewhere in their basements.

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    Replies
    1. Tempus fugit, the decades seem to fly by.

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  5. Now I have Edelweiss playing in my head and for some reason I want a beer!

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  6. Well, it's perfect for Oktoberfest!

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    Replies
    1. The showcase display is coming along nicely.

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  7. That's the perfect entry for your art exhibit.

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    Replies
    1. It is amazing the things people collect in their lifetime.

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  8. Yes, we buy things because we like them, not as an investment. That comes later.

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    Replies
    1. And what a collection we have from a life well lived.

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  9. Your stein is in the Oktoberfest display? Wow! That is far out man! At long last you have contributed something meaningful to society.

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    Replies
    1. I have done a good thing now and then,

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  10. I've long wondered if Germans actually drink out of these things or it is only the tourists who get them.

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