Covered jug

Object Type
The simple 'Dutch' jug shape was introduced early in the 19th century and soon became the most favoured amongst pottery and porcelain manufacturers. Graduated sets of three also became traditional, although this example, with its unusual lid and very high quality applied decoration, was probably marketed as a single jug, perhaps for serving beer or punch.

Trading
The Ridgway firm was one of those versatile family potteries that rose rapidly to prominence after the perfection of bone china around 1800. Following the recent concentrated period of industrialisation, including huge improvements to the canal system, pioneered by Josiah Wedgwood, good money was to be made. Although some potters such as Enoch Wood accumulated great wealth by mass-producing ordinary pottery for export, others like Ridgway, Spode and Davenport made both pottery and porcelain of the highest quality and had the confidence to mark their products.

Materials & Making
Ceramics with surprising ground colours were popular during the Regency period: as well as many shades of blue there was mint green, purplish red, ginger and a drab yellow. The ability of stoneware clays to be stained, to show off sharply-moulded applied ornament without any obscuring glaze, and to survive rough handling, was a winning combination. As their popularity grew, so variety increased and quality declined: from about 1830 fully-moulded stoneware jugs were mass-produced in Staffordshire and elsewhere.