This relief molded jug in light green is 8-1/2" high and is known as Silenus or Bacchus. The handle is the same light green color as the body of the jug, although the photo makes the handle appear darker. It is marked on the bottom with an early Minton mark and dates to about 1831. Before glass and plastic containers were widely available to hold liquids, especially wine, such decorative stoneware pitchers were made in various sizes and colors. Even though these jugs had a utilitarian function, they were decorated like sculptures, and this jug is especially sculptural with its figures almost in three dimensions. The full figure images of Bacchus all around the jug reference the fact that the jug is meant to hold wine. Kathy Hughes describes the decoration in A Collector's Guide to Nineteenth-Century Jugs, Vol. I, p. 39, "[There is] a Silenus group of three in extremely high relief on each side. Grapevines adorn the green stoneware body and twine around the handle." This jug is in excellent condition and was obviously treasured throughout the almost 200 years of its life.

This relief molded jug in a buff or light mustard color is 7-1/2" high. It is marked on the bottom with the Ridgway anchor and vase mark and dates to about 1830. Before glass and plastic containers were widely available to hold liquids, especially wine, such decorative stoneware pitchers were made in various sizes and colors. Even though these jugs had a utilitarian function, they were decorated like sculptures. The images of Bacchus on the sides of the jug reference the fact that the jug is meant to hold wine. Kathy Hughes describes the decoration in A Collector's Guide to Nineteenth-Century Jugs, Vol. I, p. 28, "Two masks of Bacchus, the Greek God of Revelry, are set against scrolls, acanthus leaves, and stylized anthemions. . . .A bust of Pan with pipes is moulded into the handle." There are two small holes placed by the manufacturer near the top rim and the handle, which would have accommodated a Britannia metal lid. It is not clear whether the lid was never affixed or whether it is gone. In any case the absence of the lid does not devalue the piece, and it is a question of personal preference. This jug is in excellent condition and was obviously treasured throughout the almost 200 years of its life.

This large two handled Rookwood standard glaze vase is 7-1/4" high, approximately 7" wide across the middle. The mark on the bottom dates the vase to 1896 with the cypher of the artist Sallie Toohey, who worked for Rookwood from 1887 to 1931. The condition is excellent, no chips cracks. There are a couple of minor scratches on the back and a small fleabite on the bottom rim, which is not visible from the top. Under very high magnification there is the typical fine crazing throughout, common in Rookwood, but it is not visible to the naked eye, at least to my naked eye.

This Rookwood standard glaze ewer is 6-1/4" high. The base is 6" in diameter and forms a very dramatic and graceful shape with the slender neck that flares out to the organic flower or leaf shaped spout. The mark on the bottom dates the piece to 1897 with the cipher for the artist Carl Schmidt, who worked for Rookwood from 1896-1926. The condition is excellent, no chipping or cracks, just the usual fine crazing throughout. The white horizontal line on the left side of the base is merely a light reflection in the photo.

This oval bowl by Haviland Limoges, France is 8" by 10" by 2-1/4" high. It is decorated with embossing in the white porcelain areas and green scrolls and turquoise flowers inside and outside with gold highlights on the borders. I have two other serving pieces in this same pattern, a small oval platter and an oval gravy bowl with attached underplate. The codition is excellent. The bowl dates to appx. the mid-20th century.

This Chinese Export porcelain bowl is 2-5/8" high, 5-1/2" in diameter. The decoration is famille rose with an overglaze tobacco leaf, flowers, scroll design on the outside and delicate small flowers on the inside. There is no mark on the bottom, but the bowl dates to about 1790-1810, based on the illustrations in Chinese Export Porcelain by Jean McClue Mudge. The condition is excellent, and the bowl rings clearly when gently tapped.

I believe that this individual Meissen tea pot is a fairly rare item. It measures 5-3/4" wide by 3-1/2" high. It is decorated with a hand painted pink rose and rose bud with green leaves on the front and back of the pot. The lid is decorated with three pink buds in green cases. The mark on the bottom is crossed swords with little pommels, which indicates that the pot dates to 1860-1924. The condition is excellent and seems to have been used very little, if at all.

This is a rare and special covered tureen with handpainted Chinoiserie decoration. The tureen is 5-1/2" high to the finial, 10-1/2" wide by 9-1/4". The handpainted decoration in cobalt blue, orange-red, green and gold depicts Chinese pagodas on the top of the lid and inside the base of the tureen. There are no maker's marks, but I have identified the tureen to date to 1813-1820 with a picture on p. 100 of Godden's Guide to Mason's China and The Ironstone Wares. Amazingly for a piece which is almost 200 years old, the condition is excellent, no chip cracks or repairs. This came from the estate of a family which obviously treasured the tureen.