Silesia / Tiefenfurt (today Parowa):

[1] : Porzellanfabrik und -malerei K. Steinmann (1868 until 1938)

There is not much information on the business of Kuno Steinmann and many sources note that he at one time imitated the 'KPM Berlin' eagle mark and added the initials 'K.S.'; the same sources also note that this mark was used around 1840. This however conflicts with the documented founding date of 1868, so either there was a former Steinmann-owned decoration business involved or the mark never belonged to Steinmann.

Business at first was concentrated on producing normal tableware but Steinmann soon increased the product range, adding decorative porcelain and many very well decorated coffee and tea sets that were mainly intended for export to the US as well as East India and Australia. The company later on also introduced an own 'Old Ivory' series just like Reinhold Schlegelmilch and the Porzellanfabrik Hermann Ohme. Many Ohme collectors regard all other manufacturers as being imposters on the 'Old Ivory' market but one should keep in mind that the German termed 'Elfenbeinporzellan' had been produced by others much earlier and 'Old Ivory' was simply a rough translation which had also been used before.

Compared with many other companies the factory had a fairly constant workforce over time and it appears that every expansion process was very well planned. Steinmann preferred factory modernization over employing numerous new workers and so the numbers show 225 workers for the year 1905 followed by 250 workers in 1913 and 260 workers for 1930. Following the worldwide economic crisis in 1929 the factory shifted away from porcelain and concentrated on ovenproof ceramics.

[2] : Porzellan- und Steinzeugfabrik Walther Becht G.m.b.H. (1938 until 1945)

The few fragments known about the demise of the Steinmann business were very frustrating. At first various sources indicated that the partly Jewish Steinmann family was forced to simply stop production by the Nazis in 1938 but I eventually found that the family actually sold the company in 1932. Fact is that the Steinmann company name was used unchanged until it was finally removed from the register in 1938 and replaced by the name of the new owner.

Mark Comments:

A few marks used by Steinmann carry the very peculiar addition 'SILESIEN', a mix of the English term 'SILESIA' and German 'SCHLESIEN'. For years now self-proclaimed 'experts' in the US claimed that these marks were fakes. Not only has it more than once been proven incorrect by comparing molds and decorations but an even better proof of origin can be found in the archives of the R.W.Z.R. which clearly show that the marks were registered with exactly that wording, 'SILESIEN'. So the items were and always have been legit - I do not want to know how many of these items were forever lost, thrown away or destroyed simply because some 'expert' did not do his homework.

Steinmann also owned various trademarks, including 'TONZELLAN', registered at the R.W.Z.R. under №·497·326 on November 8th 1937.

Marks

Image 1-01

Constantly claimed to have been used by Steinmann around 1840 (!) which simply cannot be.

Image 1-02

Used between 1896 and 1918, the 'HOHENZOLLERN' and 'GERMANY' mark.

Image 1-03

Used between 1896 and 1918, here an example in red.

Image 1-04

Used between 1900 and 1932, only found on various special series.
(Picture by usc103)

Image 1-05

Used from 1915 onwards, 'K.St.T.' crown above 'SILESIEN', registered at the R.W.Z.R. under №·207·660 on December 18th 1915.

Image 1-06

Used between 1915 and 1928, the 'K.St.T.' crown above 'SILESIA'.
(Picture by Hil Nieland)

Image 1-07

Used between 1915 and 1928, the 'K.St.T.' crown above 'GERMANY'.

Image 1-08

Used between 1915 and 1928, the 'K.St.T.' (for 'K. Steinmann Tiefenfurt') crown above 'SILESIA' and 'GERMANY'.

Image 1-09

No dates known, with 'SILESIA'.

Image 1-10

No dates known, with 'SILESIEN' and 'GERMANY'.

Image 1-11

Used between 1919 and 1938, the 'DRESDEN' series in brown.
(Picture by usc103)

Image 1-12

Used between 1919 and 1938, the 'OLD IVORY' series mark in blue.
(Picture by usc103)

Image 1-13

Used between 1919 and 1938, the 'OLD IVORY' series mark in green.
(Picture by usc103)

Image 1-14

Used from around 1928, shows 'SILESIEN' above a different crown. Was also used with 'SILESIA' instead.

Image 1-15

Registered at the R.W.Z.R. under №·397·259 on January 19th 1929. Probably discontinued because Tuppack (Tiefenfurt) used a similar one.

Image 1-16

Claimed to have been used between 1932 and 1938, 'STEINMANN' above the crown.

Image 1-17

Claimed to have been used between 1932 and 1938, 'STEINMANN' directly above 'TIEFENFURT'.

Image 1-18

Used between 1933 and 1935, the two-colored 65th anniversary mark found only on some series.

Image 1-19

Example of the previous mark, 'BARBERINA' was the name of the series.

Image 1-20

Used between 1936 and 1938, the Steinmann-own 'BÄRBEL' trademark.

Image 2-21

Used between 1938 and 1945, mark of the Steinmann successors.