A very rare antique hand painted earthenware puzzle jug, circa 1830. The floral decoration is similar, but not a fit, to jugs originating from Bristol potteries during this period but the shape and some elements of the decoration are both very similar to documentation I have of a Scottish puzzle jug originating from a Musselburgh pottery from 1836.
Puzzle jugs were popular during the 1800s and they were designed as a drinking game to see if the drinker could consume the contents without spilling any liquid, seemingly impossible owing to the numerous small holes and spouts around the top of the jug. Different puzzle jugs had different solutions, normally involving a secret hole in the bottom of the jug with an opening somewhere else that the drinker would have to find. Spouts were often added as decoys because they were either false or would still cause the liquid to spill or the drinker would need to enlist help to cover them all up except for one, in order to drink successfully. This jug has a secret hole in the bottom with a tube that runs to an opening below the curve of the top of the handle. The solution is either to drink from this hole or possibly to cover the hole and all but one of the spouts and drink from a single spout.
It is virtually impossible to find an unrestored puzzle jug with spouts in tact and this unrestored gem has lost one of its spouts. There are a couple of chips inside the rim and some small chips to the pouring spout. There are nibbles to the glaze around the remaining spouts.
14cm high
Please contact me to buy
A very rare antique hand painted earthenware puzzle jug, circa 1830. The floral decoration is similar, but not a fit, to jugs originating from Bristol potteries during this period but the shape and some elements of the decoration are both very similar to documentation I have of a Scottish puzzle jug originating from a Musselburgh pottery from 1836.
Puzzle jugs were popular during the 1800s and they were designed as a drinking game to see if the drinker could consume the contents without spilling any liquid, seemingly impossible owing to the numerous small holes and spouts around the top of the jug. Different puzzle jugs had different solutions, normally involving a secret hole in the bottom of the jug with an opening somewhere else that the drinker would have to find. Spouts were often added as decoys because they were either false or would still cause the liquid to spill or the drinker would need to enlist help to cover them all up except for one, in order to drink successfully. This jug has a secret hole in the bottom with a tube that runs to an opening below the curve of the top of the handle. The solution is either to drink from this hole or possibly to cover the hole and all but one of the spouts and drink from a single spout.
It is virtually impossible to find an unrestored puzzle jug with spouts in tact and this unrestored gem has lost one of its spouts. There are a couple of chips inside the rim and some small chips to the pouring spout. There are nibbles to the glaze around the remaining spouts.
14cm high
Please contact me to buy
