Max von Heider & Söhne / Lechtaler Keramik von Heider
Frauentorweg 10, Schongau am Lech, Bavaria.
Kunst-Töpferei / Art Pottery.
Maximilian David Christian (Max) von Heider was born on the 14th October 1839. He was educated in the Gymnasium (Grammar school) and Munich's Technical School of Industry, after which he worked in both the cement and porcelain industries. His interest in ceramics lead to further chemical training in Munich, Stuttgart and Cologne, which knowledge he then applied to the manufacture of ceramic bodies and glazes. In the meantime he had three sons, George Friedrich Hans (b.7th Jan 1867- d.11th Apr 1952), Friedrich Maximilian (Fritz) (b.9th Mar 1868 - d.1st Mar 1947) & the youngest, Rudolph Friedrich W. (b.1870-d.1950). Max began to experiment in the early 1890s in Munich, and in 1898, in Schongau am Lech, opened a ceramic workshop, later known as Max von Heider & Söhne, where Fritz, Hans and Rudolf received their initial training. The new "Lechtaler Keramik" consisted of narrow friezes, wall fountains and other ornaments, produced prior to the 1898 Great Berlin Art Exhibition allowed both Max and his sons to create a new standard in artistic design and production methods, which were all produced solely by themselves. Both Hans & Fritz left to pursue their own careers after 1900. Max handed leadership of the company in Schongau around 1913 to Rudolf, also giving up his position as a teacher and head of the ceramics studio at the art school in Elberfeld. Between 1907 and 1918 Max was working to support his son Fritz as part-time assistant teacher in Applied Chemistry for ceramicists at the Kunstgewerbe- und Handwerkerschule (Arts and Crafts School) in Magdeburg. In 1911, both taught Sunday school here, providing advanced training for ceramics workers. Max was the first teacher to introduce modern chemistry education for ceramists at a German art school. His post-1918 lecture series taught advanced theory and application of chemistry for the ceramic's industry.
Max died on the 29th December 1920. Rudolph managed the company until its closure in 1935. (Translation courtesy of Walt Vogdes)
Reference: Max.von Heider Friedrich von Heider Hans von Heider
Impressed "Saarguemines" for Porzellanfabrik Utzschneider & Cie on the featured stein. The ink signature is thought to be an intertwined RH for Rudolf von Heider. 
Details of lid inlay on featured Dragon stein. Picture supplied by Andre Ammelounx The Stein Auction Company 
Side view of the featured stein showing the Dragon's head in the handle, with the wings and tail on the stein body. Again pewter is unique to von Heider. Picture supplied by Andre Ammelounx The Stein Auction Company 
Max von Heider & Söhne mark. H over V inside a shield. Picture supplied by Andre Ammelounx The Stein Auction Company 
This stein was moulded in Saarguemines by the Porzellanfabrik Utzschneider & Cie and supplied to the Lechtaler Keramik von Heider (& Söhne) for finishing. The speckled graduated tint glaze requires skilful handling and is not done on a mass production basis. The thumbpull is known to be unique to the von Heider's. 
Typical von Heider design stein with Dragon relief motif and unique thumb lift. Picture supplied by Andre Ammelounx The Stein Auction Company 
Side view of the featured stein giving extra detail of the pewter, and also the snail lid inlay. 
Rudolf's signature as the artist, on the base of a von Heider student stein dated 1930. 
Impressed mark on the base of a von Heider stein. 
"Treu. Deutsch. Allezeit." "Faithful. German. Always." V.D.ST. Braunschweig Student stein dedication: Emil-Robert, Heinz, Wolfgang, i-lb, Ekkehard.