Charming Cafe Figure with Beer Mug | Limited Edition of 10
Vintage Amsterdam Tavern Mascot Holding Stein
I came across this unforgettable figure in a quiet part of Amsterdam, late at night, long after the last call had been made. He was standing proud—or maybe just stuck in time—right outside an old pub. Plaster or fibreglass, it was hard to tell under the years of decay. But what stood out was the grin—wide-eyed, moustached, holding a beer stein like he was cheering you into the afterlife.
The texture on him was wild. The paint peeled in layers, like old wallpaper in an abandoned flat. His stein, still detailed with a proud stag, looked like it hadn’t seen a cleaning cloth in decades. He wasn’t trying to be art. He just was. Forgotten, ignored, but still somehow greeting passersby with boozy optimism.
I shot this handheld, leaning into the soft, imperfect glow of a failing streetlamp. That kind of lighting—the kind you can’t fake—is what gives this photo its soul. Black and white suited the scene perfectly. Colour would’ve distracted from the texture, the quiet grit, the beautiful wear of years.
This isn’t the polished kind of travel photo you see in brochures. It’s the type of image you find only when you wander off the main drag, when you’re curious enough to look twice at what everyone else walks past. That’s what real photography means to me—not chasing the obvious, but catching the overlooked.
If you’ve ever ducked into a neighbourhood pub for a pint just because the front door had character, or wandered an alley and found yourself face-to-face with something completely bizarre and oddly beautiful—this piece might speak to you.
This photo now lives in both my Pubs Photography collection and my Amsterdam Wall Art collection, both of which celebrate places with real character, age, and attitude.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2024
Limited Edition of 10
This photograph is released as a signed and numbered limited edition of only 10 prints in total across all available sizes combined—not 10 prints in each size.
Every size is drawn from the same edition. Whether the photograph is purchased as a small print or at the largest available size, it uses one of the 10 edition numbers.
I personally sign and number each print on the reverse, and every print is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity recording its title, dimensions, medium, edition number, and date of issue.
Once all 10 prints have been sold, the edition will be permanently closed. No additional numbered editions of the photograph will be produced in another size or format.
Premium Archival Fine Art Prints
I personally produce every photograph using archival pigment inks on premium archival paper with a subtle luster finish.
The paper provides rich tonal depth, excellent fine-detail reproduction, and a refined surface that reduces distracting glare under normal indoor lighting. It is especially well suited to both color and black-and-white photography.
Each photograph is sold as an unframed fine art print, allowing it to be framed according to the collector’s space and personal style.
Before a print leaves my studio, I carefully inspect it for color, tonal accuracy, surface quality, and overall presentation. Nothing is outsourced, and every finished print passes through my hands.
Worldwide Delivery Included
Every print is personally produced, inspected, signed, numbered, and carefully packaged by me at my studio in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada.
Worldwide delivery is included in the listed price, so there is no additional shipping charge added during checkout. I select an appropriate tracked delivery service based on the destination, print size, and current shipping requirements.
Delivery times vary by destination and may be affected by customs processing or circumstances beyond my control.
Because I also travel extensively to create new photographic work, studio dispatch may occasionally be delayed while I am away. When that happens, the print will be produced and shipped as soon as I return to the studio.
