Jug
Date1724 - 1740
MediumStoneware, salt-glazed, gray with blue
DimensionsOverall: 8 3/8 x 5 15/16 x 7 3/16in. (21.3 x 15.1 x 18.3cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase, Tidewater Antiques Arts Association
Object number2006-153
DescriptionGray-bodied salt-glazed stoneware bellied jug with cordoned neck highlighted with two bands of blue. An applied medallion is on the center of the piece 180 degrees from the handle. The badge bears the initials "GR", which are filled with blue as well as a crown, foliage and a winged cherub's head. Beneath the GR is the date, 1724 and on either side of the crown at the top of the medallion are the conjoined initials "HP" and "W". The body of the jug is decorated with an incised deign comprised of stylized foliage that has been filled with blue.Label TextA number of jugs among the “GR” wares are noteworthy for the inclusion of initials within their applied badges that may represent mold makers or perhaps pottery owners. There are two main groups of these vessels. The less common examples include the letters “HP” conjoined to the left of the crown and “W” to the right, with the date “1724” divided at the base of the badge beneath the cherub’s wings. It is tempting to believe that “1724” indicates the date of manufacture, but features such as cordoned as opposed to rilled necks and the absence or presence of manganese coloring are evidence that the mold for this badge was used over a long period. Fragments of jugs with these initials and “1724” have been excavated from the Anthony Hay House, Hay cabinetmaking shop, and Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg. Intriguingly, an intact jug with this badge was also unearthed in Lauzoua on the Ivory Coast of West Africa by a member of the Dida tribe who associated the find with ancestral grave goods.
InscribedBeneath the "GR" is the date, 1724 and on either side of the crown at the top of the medallion are the conjoined initials "HP" and "W"
ProvenanceRodney Harmic, Bonita Spring, Florida
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