The Golden Lion Saloon, Stoneware Lithophane Mug, St. Louis, MO. Circa 1900

This is a lithophane stoneware advertising mug from the Golden Lion Saloon in St. Louis, MO, 1885.   The Golden Lion mug looks very similar to one made by the famous St. Louis restaurant owner Tony Faust. Both incorporate a royal blue and white color theme with the owner’s picture inside the top of the lid under a protective glass.   The bottom of the Golden Lion mug has an opaque artwork design known as a lithophane.  Lithophanes are 3D images printed on translucent plaques that are then backlit to reveal the image. The Golden Lion Saloon was owned by Chris Von der Ahe. He also owned the St. Louis professional baseball team which he bought in 1881 to help promote his Golden Lion Saloon located one block away from the St. Louis Grand Avenue Baseball Park.