Imperial German Reservist's stein of Gardist Kachelmann, 115th Hessian Liebgarde Regiment

Imperial German Hessian beer stein named to Gardist Kachelmann. He servied with the‘3. Comp. 1 Grossh. Hess. Inft. Leibg. Regt. Nr. 115 Darmstadt 1904-06. This is the Life-Guard Regiment, a very prestigious unit. The Gross Herzogliche Freiherr Leibgarde Infantry Regiment 115 is the oldest military unit in the German army. Dating back to 1650, the regiment was the traditional Life Guards Regiment of the Grand Dukes of Hessen, who made Darmstadt their home. This regiment, as well as the other units of the 33rd Infantry Division became the backbone of the Afrika Korps in August 1940 when the division provided the primary units for the 15th Panzer Division. The regiment became the 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment.The front of the stein has an image of a statue of a winged Germania standing over a German soldier Below that is a brick-red epulatte with a white ‘L’ and crown, and a pickelhaub, drum, shovel, canteen or flask, bugle or horn. There is a kneeling soldier aiming his rifle on the left and a standing solider on the right. On either side of the handle is a roster of soldiers in this unit. The pewter lid is topped with a seated soldier holding a gun and a flask. The thumblift is a crowned rampant lion holding a shield. The lithophane in the bottom of the stein does have some hairlines .