Beautiful blue & white salt-glaze batter jug with original tin lid and spout cover. The decoration is rather abstract for the period. Broad blue strokes on the body surround the spout—a couple of dots and a short line below and, if you hold your head just right, you have a flower tree, similar to the flower trees we see in samplers. Dots around the shoulder of the jug are reflected in lighter dots up to the rim. The front of each ear is boldly painted blue and the back of the jug has a low grip with blue slip and a blue flower above it. The jug is in marvelous condition with its original bail handle, tin lid and tin spout cover. Note that the tin spout cover is stuck in place and we are not willing to force it open. Our quick finger test of the inside of the spout does not reveal any cracks or losses but we cannot guarantee that there is not some apology to the spout. As noted, of the parts we can see, the condition is marvelous. There are a couple of areas on the ears that appear to be rust from the handle rubbing—but it is possible that the stoneware has flaked or simply worn down from the handle rubbing. Look closely and there might be tiny flakes on the back grip but it appears to have been done in the making—we did not even see the possibility of flaking until editing photos (which always magnifies condition issues). The jug is unsigned but the bold brush strokes are similar to works by Cowden & Wilcox in Harrisburg PA. Measures 10” tall x 8” diameter, not counting handle which adds 3” to height. The lid is 5” in diameter and the spout has a 1½” diameter. This is probably a 1-gallon vessel. Circa 1860.

#6865     $1375