Object Type
This jug is the most traditional of the metalwork objects designed by Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) in the V&A's collection. It harks back to the form of a late 18th-century chocolate pot, although in a thoroughly abstract style. The classical urn shape, the tripod stand, the high handle and the beak-like spout are derived from Neo-classical precedents, reduced here to their simplest outlines. Claret, a red wine from the Bordeaux region of France, was traditionally served at the table in the 19th century in a glass jug or decanter.

Design & Designing
Christopher Dresser is often regarded as the 'father of industrial design'. He designed utilitarian objects for the general public while making full use of the latest techniques of mass production. Dresser's most innovative designs were for objects to be made in metal. His designs for ceramics and glass often resemble plant forms in their shape, ornamentation or colouring, but his designs for metalwork objects tend to be fully abstract. He frequently employed symmetrical, rectilinear shapes and undecorated surfaces. This was partly due to the intrinsic value of silver and gold, which he specified should be used economically in order to make the object affordable. This is in keeping with his ethical attitude towards economy in design.

Manufacturing
Dresser was a prolific worker and produced designs for numerous manufacturers, including Hukin & Heath (about 1878-1890s), Elkington & Co. (about 1875-1888) and James Dixon & Sons (about 1879-1890s). Some of his designs were considered too ahead of their time to go into production, and six exist only as prototypes.