Summer Celebrations: Antique Jugs at Grays

With the burst of summer which has been sprung upon us this week, comes the desire to celebrate outdoors. Antique pitchers and jugs are great for summer parties and dinners, indoors or out. These useful table pieces are a synergy of form and function and have always been used for celebrations. In fact, the wealthy Ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians created many beautiful examples to adorn their tables. However, it was not until the 18th century that European manufacturers started to produce decorated jugs on a larger scale, although the word jug is first recorded in the late 15th century as jugge or jubbe.

Now, it is the Venetian glass examples, or those made by Britain's big ceramics houses in the 18th and 19th centuries that are highly collectable.

Here is a selection of the top pieces from Grays:

Etched glass, silver overlay, hammered silver, jug  c1910, American. From Evonne Antiques.

Silver etched jug 1900-1910. From Evonne Antiques.

Silver overlay glass jug, c1900s, American. From Evonne Antiques.

Venetian Jug c1880. From Mousa Antiques.

Bohemian Jug c1880. From Mousa Antiques.

 English pitcher, c1900. From Mousa Antiques.

Moser Jug ca1880-1890. From Mousa Antiques.

Meissen, rare hot water jug, decorated in the rich onion pattern, c1860-80. From Serhat Ahmet.