Reservists
Reservistics are items that soldiers , especially armies of the German Empire , had made as individual mementos after their active military service .
This custom was common from around 1870 to 1913. Around 1870/71 and in the years that followed, soldiers enjoyed a great reputation among the people, and people were quite proud of having “served for the fatherland”. Reservists were an expression of this attitude, and they were glad to be shown. Depending on the prestige of the unit, they could be elaborately handcrafted, but mostly they were series products that were affordable even for less wealthy soldiers.
It was plates, pipes, glasses, bottles and, above all, jugs that bore the name of the reservist , the length of service and the name of the unit and were mostly provided with colored pictures and symbols. Another type that is also widespread are printed or photographic reservist pictures showing soldiers in uniform and / or with their comrades. Reservist mugs in particular are popular collectibles today and are sought after on the antique market . Therefore, more or less clever imitations are also circulating which are sometimes fraudulently offered as original pieces.
After the world wars, they were frowned upon for a while because they were reminiscent of unpeaceful epochs. Now they are seen again in historical exhibitions and put it in the sale popular items to be auctioned is.