Mug with Portrait of William III

Date1689-1702

OriginEurope, Germany, Westerwald, Höhr-Grenzhausen

MediumSalt-glazed stoneware, gray with blue and purple

DimensionsOverall: 5 1/4 x 6 1/16 x 6 1/8in. (13.3 x 15.4 x 15.6cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1952-78

DescriptionMug, saltglaze stoneware, globular body. On the front a raised medallion with a raised portrait of King William III with inscription around portrait "Wilhelmus III DG Mag. Brit. Franc. et Hib. Rex &" (William III, by the Grace of God, King of Britain, France, and Ireland, Etc.). On either side symmetrical branching stems incised and terminating in flowers and leaves produced with three different stamps, on blue ground. Cylindrical neck, reeded, manganese glaze, loop handle.
Label TextMost vessels celebrating King William feature bust-length portraits, and a few are known with only his royal monogram. Other noteworthy design variations include mugs, jugs, and tankards extensively colored with manganese purple on their bodies but lacking molded or incised decoration other than the applied badges. Conversely, some wares were enhanced with typical ornamentation but were left completely uncolored . Fragments from the range of vessels commemorating William have been recovered from sites such as the Wilson Farm in Dover, Massachusetts; Swan Cove in Providence, Anne Arundel County, Maryland; and Jamestown, Virginia. Curiously, although pendant jugs, mugs, and tankards with images of Queen Mary survive, they are far less common as intact survivals and in archaeological excavations.
Inscribed"Wilhelmus III DG Mag. Brit. Franc. et Hib. Rex &"
ProvenancePurchased from D. M. & P. Manheim, New York