Altenburg is a small town between the rivers Mulde and Saale on the border of Saxony with Thuringia in eastern Germany. Salt-glazed stoneware was produced there during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, mainly for local consumption. Most Altenburg wares were designed to be mounted in pewter, as is the case with this example which not only has a pewter lid with large globular thumbpiece, but also three thin bands of pewter from the topmost of which hangs a row of star-like cresting. The engraved initials were possibly those of the owner. The addition of pewter mounts added an element of decoration, elegance and value to an otherwise plain pottery vessel. This tankard would have been used for beer, always a favourite German drink. Beer vessels traditionally had lids, whether glass ones on enamelled glass Humpen or pewter mounts as here.