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Any help identifying this item would be most appreciated! Essentially, it is an engraved metal tumbler about five inches tall. It is blackened with age. The front has an engraving of a "v" and an "a" overlapped and topped with a crown. The other side reads (when translated from German) "The Officer Corps of the King's Fusillier Regiment of Schleswig-Holstein witnesses the leaving of a comrade, Lieutenant Von Der Heyden 10. 9. 97- 16. 12. 99." Sadly I cannot get the camera close enough for the bottom markings, but I shall describe them from left to right. The first symbol is the crown and crescent moon. The second is what appears to be a unicorn and the final marking is the number 800. Any information regarding any portion of this tumbler I welcome heartedly!

Hi,

From the description of the marks I can conclude (with some reserves because I didn't see them) that it is indeed German.

The Crown with Moon mark is used in germany since 1884 (effective 1888).
800 is ofcourse the silvercontent mark.

The decoration on front could indicate Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and therefor a precious gift from the court.

Remember that the British royals are from German origin (they changed their family name during WW I to distance themselves from the Germans).
Princess Helena (daughter of Queen Victoria) married Christian the prince of Schleswig-Holstein in 1866.

I don't have a book on German makers, so I can't tell you who it is.

The maker is: Gebrüder Kühn, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany

My first long answer was not taken, my second short answer was taken without login but as a "guest". The new subdivision "without photo" doesn't require a login! So I try again without login.
Halfmoon stands for silver, the crown for the German Empire, 800 for the purity. If it is a unicorn, the maker is: Gebrüder Kühn, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany (Gebrueder (=Bros.) Kuehn, Schwaebisch Gmuend) founded in 1860 and still existing. Look at www.kuehnsilber.de
Regards silverfan