Silesia / Tiefenfurt (today Parowa):

[1] : Porzellanfabrik und -malerei K. Steinmann (1863 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 two other known dates, 1863 (not 1868!) being the founding date of the porcelain decoration business and the date of re-registration in 1882 as porcelain production factory. So either the decoration business was much older than assumed or the mark never belonged to Steinmann. One until now unproven theory is that the original decoration business from around 1840 belonged to the father of Steinmann and later either closed or was re-registered in 1868 by Kuno Steinmann himself.

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. 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 that also had been used before.

Compared with many other companies, the factory had a fairly constant workforce over time and it appears that the expansion process was very well planned and 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.

The origins of the company are confusing enough but the few fragments explaining the demise of the business in 1938 are even more frustrating. At first various sources indicated that the partly Jewish Steinmann family was forced to stop production by the Nazis in 1938 but a short time ago I found various hints that the family might have sold the company in 1932, a theory that is backed by the totally different marks used after that date. Fact is that the company was removed from the register in 1938 and was until then still run under the Steinmann name ... perhaps I will be able to solve this mystery one day.

Mark Comments:

A few marks used by Steinmann carry the very peculiar addition 'SILESIEN' which seems like a mix of the English '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 are now forever lost because they were destroyed after some 'expert' claimed they were fakes.

Marks

Image 1-01

Claimed to have been used around 1840 as noted in the company history above.

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 over '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 over 'SILESIA'.
(Picture by Hil Nieland)

Image 1-07

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

Image 1-08

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

Image 1-09

Used from around 1928, shows 'SILESIEN' over different crown but was also used with 'SILESIA'.

Image 1-10

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

Image 1-11

Claimed to have been used between 1932 and 1938.

Image 1-12

Used between 1933 and 1935, the two-colored 50th anniversary wreath mark found on some series only.

Image 1-13

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

Image 1-14

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

Image 1-15

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

Image 1-16

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

Image 1-17

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

Image 1-18

No date known. This one is often claimed to be a Steinmann mark but I'm not the only one who doubts it.