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U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point - 1971 Beer Stein Tankard Ice Bucket
Vintage U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point Officers’ Club Lidded Stein – CDR E.V. Nau – 1971. Large vintage presentation stein / tankard from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, dating to 1971. An impressive piece of United States maritime and service-academy memorabilia, standing nearly 10 inches tall with a substantial tiered metal body, hinged lid, large handle, ceramic interior liner, and applied Kings Point insignia. The front is engraved:
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Officers’ Club
CDR E.V. NAU
2-3-71
The lower portion carries an applied silver-tone wreath and anchor emblem reading “KINGS POINT,” centered by a blue, red and gold U.S. Merchant Marine Academy medallion reading “U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY – KINGS POINT, NEW YORK.”
The recipient, CDR E. V. Nau, was a physician who served as Chief Medical Officer at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. The personalized engraving and Officers’ Club inscription connect the piece directly to his service at the Academy. Dated February 3, 1971, the stein was likely presented to Dr. Nau as an official commemorative, recognition, or farewell gift associated with his tenure at Kings Point.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy, commonly known as Kings Point, is one of the five U.S. federal service academies. Its permanent campus at Kings Point on Long Island was developed during World War II and the Academy was formally dedicated on September 30, 1943. It was created to train officers for the American Merchant Marine and national defense. During World War II, Kings Point midshipmen trained aboard merchant vessels operating in combat zones, and the Academy ultimately graduated thousands of officers for wartime service. The Academy was established permanently by federal law in 1956 and continues to train licensed Merchant Marine officers and commissioned military officers.
This stein dates from an interesting period in Academy history. The Class of 1971 entered the maritime profession as the Vietnam-era sealift was winding down and the size of the active U.S. merchant fleet was declining substantially. The stein has an unusually substantial, almost architectural design, with three stepped cylindrical sections and multiple raised bands. The hinged lid terminates in a domed top and is operated by a thumb lever above the handle. The interior contains a white ceramic liner.
Approximate dimensions:
Height: just under 10 inches
Base diameter: approximately 7 inches
Diameter at lid: approximately 5.5 inches
Condition is as shown in the photographs. The metal exterior shows age-appropriate surface wear, scratches, rubbing, oxidation/tarnish and scattered marks. The applied Kings Point emblem shows noticeable patina and oxidation. The engraving remains clearly legible. Ceramic interior appears quite clean. Please examine photographs carefully for condition and construction details.
An unusual, personalized piece of 1970s Kings Point history with direct association to the Academy’s Chief Medical Officer. Particularly suitable for a collection of U.S. Merchant Marine, USMMA/Kings Point, maritime, naval, military academy, Vietnam-era, medical corps, or American nautical memorabilia.
