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Bear jug: C.503 & A-1928

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An image of Bear jug
An image of Bear jug
An image of Bear jug
Current Location: Gallery 27 (Glaisher)

Maker(s)

Pottery: Unidentified Staffordshire Pottery

Entities

Categories

Description

White salt-glazed stoneware bear jug with applied shredded clay fur, and details in brown slip

Off-white stoneware, thrown in two parts, with applied ears, muzzle, chain, rear feet and forelegs, applied chippings of clay to simulate fur, and details added in brown slip before salt-glazing. The bear has a tubby body with a cylindrical neck and is made to rest upright on its haunches or crouching on its hind feet with front legs extended. The head is detachable to serve as a cup and has a three-link chain through a hole in the top of the muzzle. The head and body are covered in chippings of clay fur. There are three lines of brown slip on each of its feet, and short dashes on the edge of its ears, and the end of its muzzle, and tongue. The lower part of the cup is plain with twelve circles of brown spots around central spots. The eyes are formed by flattened circles of clay filled with brown slip.

Notes

History note: Puttick & Simpson, London, 31 October 1919, lot 55; bought for £5.5s.0d. by Mack on behalf of Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 24.6 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

18th Century, Mid
George II
Circa 1740 CE - 1760 CE

Note

This bear jug is very close in appearance to C.501 & A-1928.

Components of the work

Decoration composed of brown slip
Surface composed of salt-glaze
Body Depth 22.6 cm Width 14.5 cm
Body And Head
Ears, Limbs

Materials used in production

off-white Stoneware

Techniques used in production

Salt-glazing

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.503 & A-1928
Primary reference Number: 75327
Old object number: 4682

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 30 April 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Bear jug" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/75327 Accessed: 2025-12-05 08:46:30

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/75327 |title=Bear jug |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 08:46:30|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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