There is something quietly wonderful about a shelf of old stoneware jugs lined up together, each one a little vessel of history, each with its own glaze, its own shape, its own story. We pulled five of our favorites from the back room this week and set them out as a small gathering, and the assortment is a charming tour through American and English stoneware traditions.
The tall white jug in the corner wears a beautifully transferred Americana scene, a steam locomotive rolling through the countryside in soft greens and warm reds. Pieces like this celebrate the great age of American railroading, when the iron horse stitched the country together, and they make for delightful conversation pieces on a mantel or sideboard.
Beside it sits a classic two-tone shoulder jug, the kind of honest, hardworking utility ware that filled American kitchens, cellars, and general stores from the late 1800s onward. The rich brown Albany-slip top fading into a creamy lower half is a pattern collectors know well, and the form is as sculptural today as it was practical then.
Then there is the standout label piece, a Noah W. Eby Pure Rye Whiskey jug from Woodward, Pennsylvania. Eby was a real Centre County distiller in the pre-Prohibition era, and his stoneware jugs are now sought-after Americana with a true sense of place.
Rounding out the group are a round brown-lidded stoneware crock, perfect for a kitchen counter or open shelf, and a charming little figure-decal jug with a hand-drawn scene that hints at an English country origin. Together, they make a wonderful study in the everyday craftsmanship of generations past.
Stop by Pollyanna’s Antiques on North Avenue in downtown Mt. Clemens, Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday from 10 to 4, and see them in person.