Description

Antique Westerwald Stoneware Tobacco Jar with Zwerg Lid Finial, Simon Peter Gerz 672

A particularly interesting example of historic German ceramics: a Simon Peter Gerz stoneware tobacco jar, model 672, belonging to the Westerwald ceramic tradition and dated approximately 1880–1900 according to the specialist documentation consulted.

The container is made of stoneware and features elaborate relief decoration in cream and cobalt blue. The original lid is topped by a sculptural figure of a Zwerg, the German term for a dwarf or fantastical gnome-like character.

One of the most important elements for identifying the piece is the base, which retains both the characteristic triangular mark associated with Simon Peter Gerz and the mold number 672.

The combination of manufacturer, mold number, decoration, function, and sculptural lid makes this an especially appealing object for collectors of German ceramics, Westerwald stoneware, historic tobacco-related objects, and European decorative arts from the late nineteenth century.

A Documented Model: Model 672 is recorded in specialist documentation as a “tobacco jar” by Simon Peter Gerz. The documentation consulted attributes an approximate capacity of 1 liter to the model and gives a height of approximately 18 cm without the lid. It also distinguishes model 672 from variant 672B, described as a container for Griesmehl. The mold number is particularly important because it allows the piece to be identified much more precisely than through style or decoration alone.

The Gerz Mark: The base bears the characteristic triangular Gerz mark featuring a stylized jug, together with the number 672. Manufacturer’s marks are fundamental to the study of historic Gerz production, and in this example the combination of the mark and mold number provides a particularly precise reference for identification.

Decoration and Zwerg Figure: The body features historicist relief decoration, including ornamental motifs, vegetal elements, and areas of intense cobalt blue against the light-colored stoneware body. The original lid retains its sculptural finial depicting a Zwerg with a beard and cap. This figure gives the piece a particularly decorative character and is one of the details that makes this model visually distinctive. No specific symbolic meaning related to smokers is attributed to the figure, as no primary Gerz documentation has been located supporting such an interpretation. Its decorative role as the sculptural finial of the lid is clear.

Condition: The piece is presented in excellent condition for its age, retaining its structure, decoration, and original lid with sculptural figure. The survival of the original lid is particularly important with objects of this type, as projecting elements and figures are among the parts most vulnerable to damage, loss, and restoration. The photographs form an essential part of the description, and we recommend examining them carefully before purchasing.

Technical Specifications

• Manufacturer: Simon Peter Gerz I
• Factory: Simon Peter Gerz, Höhr, Westerwald, Germany
• Model / mold number: 672
• Object: Lidded tobacco jar
• Material: Stoneware
• Decoration: Molded relief and cobalt blue
• Figure: Zwerg on the lid
• Documented model capacity: approximately 1 liter
• Documented height without lid: approximately 18 cm
• Model dating: approximately 1880–1900
• Mark: Triangular mark associated with Simon Peter Gerz
• Designer/decorator: Unknown
• Condition: Excellent condition

An appealing collector’s piece for enthusiasts of historic European ceramics, Westerwald stoneware, and the production of Simon Peter Gerz