RUDOLPH DIRKS HAND PAINTED WOODEN STEIN. DECORATED WITH HIS COMIC STRIP CHARACTERS INCLUDING THE KATZENJAMMER KIDS, *DER CAPTAIN*, *MAMA*, ETC. THE STEIN MEASURES 22 1/2 INCHES TALL. ALONG WITH THE COMIC CHARACTERS IT HAS A CENTRAL DECORATION OF AN IMPERIAL EAGLE CLUTCHING A PANEL WITH AN *A*. THIS PIECE IS SIGNED *A. DIRKS* UNDER HE LID. DIRKS WAS PART OF A GROUP OF BOHEMIAN ARTISTS SUPPORTED BY MABEL DODGE IN GREENWICH VILLAGE NY AND COINED THE *A CLUB*. DIRKS WAS ALSO VERY CLOSE TO ARTISTS FROM THE ASHCAN SCHOOL AND PAINTED ARTWORK IN THAT STYLE AS WELL. IT IS DOCUMENTED THAT RUDOLPH DIRKS WOULD SPEND TIME WITH OTHER *A CLUB* ARTISTS SUCH AS GEORGE OBERY HART, AND WALT KUHN AND DRINK BEER AT A LOCAL GERMAN RESTAURANT. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE *A* ON THE STEIN WAS TO REPRESENT THE *A CLUB*. A VISUALLY STUNNING ONE OF A KIND PEICE. HANDLE HAS A REPAIR.