Patriotic Eagle “Batter” Jug
Creamware — England, circa 1820
Height: 10 inches
 
A creamware “batter” jug decorated in relief with a bold spread eagle clutching arrows and bearing a shield, surmounted by a ribbon inscribed E Pluribus Unum and flanked by stars. The reverse is decorated with a British ship under full sail—an intriguing juxtaposition of Anglo-American imagery reflecting the complex commercial and cultural ties that persisted in the early nineteenth century.
 
Produced in England for export to the American market, the form belongs to the distinctive class of “batter” jugs popular in the early nineteenth century. Patriotic imagery of this type enjoyed renewed appeal in the years following the War of 1812, when American consumers continued to seek ceramics celebrating the young republic. Scarce in this form and well preserved, the jug presents an appealing example of transatlantic ceramic production for the American trade.
 
Condition: Excellent.