Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 139, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Tower Jug

Jug
1868 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Cylindrical, heavily modelled earthenware jug, with hinged lid on pewter mounts, the body in the form of a castle tower; two men and two women, alternating, dance around the body between borders of twisted ivy vines, heavy vines extend and unite to form a handle; a moulded ceramic lid is framed with a pewter rim attached by a pewter thumb piece to a pewter band around the neck of the jug; the lid is topped with a jester's head, the jester displays the top of a brown surcoat with a green collar and yellow tassels, his hood is puce; the dancing men are dressed as huntsmen, one has a yellow shirt with green trousers, the other with a purple shirt and yellow trousers; one woman has a brown blouse and a blue skirt and the other wears a green blouse and a brown skirt; the pewter bears no marks but impressed marks are present on the base of the jug.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTower Jug (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Jug, 'Tower Jug', earthenware with moulded relief decoration and painted with coloured glazes, Minton & Co., Staffordshire, 1868
Physical description
Cylindrical, heavily modelled earthenware jug, with hinged lid on pewter mounts, the body in the form of a castle tower; two men and two women, alternating, dance around the body between borders of twisted ivy vines, heavy vines extend and unite to form a handle; a moulded ceramic lid is framed with a pewter rim attached by a pewter thumb piece to a pewter band around the neck of the jug; the lid is topped with a jester's head, the jester displays the top of a brown surcoat with a green collar and yellow tassels, his hood is puce; the dancing men are dressed as huntsmen, one has a yellow shirt with green trousers, the other with a purple shirt and yellow trousers; one woman has a brown blouse and a blue skirt and the other wears a green blouse and a brown skirt; the pewter bears no marks but impressed marks are present on the base of the jug.
Dimensions
  • Height: 33.0cm (approximate)
  • Diameter: 16.0cm (approximate, maximum)
  • Depth: 20.0cm (approximate)
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Minton 1231 G m' (Impressed on base of jug; '1231' is the shape number; 'G' is the date mark for 1868.)
  • '12' (Painted in yellow under the glaze on base of jug.)
Credit line
Given by Mrs Mills, Friend of the V&A
Bibliographic references
  • Karmason, Marilyn G and Jason B Stacke, Majolica. A Complete History and Illustrated Survey, New York, 1989
  • Henrywood, RK, An Illustrated Guide to British Jugs, Swan Hill Press, 1997
Collection
Accession number
C.4-2013

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Record createdFebruary 28, 2013
Record URL
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