Alsagar Pottery, Stoke on Trent, Slipware Owl Limited Editio...

Hammer

£150

Alsagar Pottery, Stoke on Trent, Slipware Owl Limited Edition Lidded Jug. Limited edition slipware owl jug "Seek Truth" made by Alsagar Pottery, Stoke on Trent in 2000 inspired by the one in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. Hand made by the owners of Alsagar Pottery, Ken and Anne Rodgers. With letter of authenticity. The pattern of feathers on the owl is ideal for adapting to slip trailed-decoration. The first pair of owls were made for an exhibition at the Staffordshire Peak Art Centre in 1981. Traditional owl jugs have a removable head which forms a cup and at the same time keeps dust out.
The Fitzwilliam owl was made, in the early 1700's, from quite coarse clay similar to that used for hand made bricks or tiles. It stands about 8 3/4 inches high. Another old owl jug, also 18th century, became famous in 1990 when it appeared on the Antiques Road Show TV programme in the UK having spent its previous few years being used as a flower pot. This rare Staffordshire owl was decorated differently, by the scumbled slip decorating technique. It was bought for £20,900 by the City of Stoke-on-Trent Museum where it now lives.