Weighty present with high utility value
There is a piece of Wieland history in every beer tap
Artfully designed spigots were among the first products offered by Philipp Jakob Wieland after the company was founded in 1820. 140 years later Wieland uses replicas of these traditional taps as promotional gifts – as representative as they are fully functional.
It has been somewhat forgotten that 200 years ago one product played an important role in Philipp Jakob Wieland's range of products, which today one would not necessarily associate with Wieland: Beer taps! Coming from a family of brewers and innkeepers, he was certainly aware of the importance of these devices from a very young age. And one may assume that his father put him in touch with customers one way or another.
Beyond their pure function, however, taps were ideally suited to demonstrate the expertise of their manufacturers. Perfect casting was required so that the beer taps could withstand the rough handling during daily tapping operations - especially as one had to use a rough wooden mallet when tapping, i.e. hammering the tap into the beer barrel.
But the craftsmanship of the caster was also evident in the cast decorations and subsequent engravings that decorated the spigot and in the quality of its surface, which, if possible, was to give the same shiny impression even after years of use as on the first day. The taps therefore expressed all the skill and high standards of Philipp Jakob Wieland in the most beautiful – and useful – way.
These aspects prompted Wieland around 1960 to present customers, suppliers and business partners with particularly beautifully crafted brass taps. Packed in a representative wooden box, sometimes with a mallet and always with a beautifully printed card, containing which among other things Philipp Jakob Wieland's motto for the foundation of his company in 1820: "In general I make every casting work from metal and brass upon request".
Admittedly, these are replicas that are made especially for this purpose. But this does not detract from their great popularity as advertising and trade fair gifts. And although the spigots are fully functional, it can be assumed that most of them will never be knocked into a beer barrel, but will have a place of honour among collectors and enthusiasts as extraordinary "eye-catchers".
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Wieland Werke AG
The tapping devices are stowed packaged in a representative wooden box. Thanks to the mallet supplied, they are theoretically fully operational.
The artistic decorations make it clear that the taps were more than just functional everyday objects. They were also a "business card" of their producer.
The dedication not only explains the importance of taps in the company's history. It also expresses the hope that the gift will "serve well on happy occasions."
