Description: Antique German beer stein made by Villeroy and Boch/Mettlach - the most famous beer stein manufacturer. Made of pottery with hand-painted decorations.

The stein depicts a colorful, beautifully hand-painted Coat-of-Arms using gold and three-dimensional white enamel. It seems to be the CoA of the Military School in Potsdam.
Inscribed at the bottom is:

"S.Hofmann s/l S.W.Meitzen Kriegsschule Potsdam 1889"

"s/l" is an abbreviation for "seine lieben" or "his beloved" that was used almost exclusively by student societies.  

Inscribed on the sides is the military school motto: 

"Mach am und Treu"
(Be active and loyal) 

Marked with the impressed mark VB and the mold number 280. This mark was in use from 1885 to 1899.

Mold 280 is one of the best molds Mettlach has made for hand-painted and PUG steins. It is quite different from the plain molds 1909 and 1526 used for the same type of decoration: it features an ornate pedestal and handle, and usually a more ornate lid.

The stein shows a hairline in the back that is visible on the inside but hardly visible on the outside. Otherwise excellent condition.

The stein is large and impressive, standing 8" tall to the top of the finial, with a 0.5L capacity.