Castle Hedingham Edward Bingham Puzzle Jug 1895

Description

We are offering a spectacular piece of craftsmanship, a Puzzle Jug, made by Edward Bingham, the grandson of Edward Bingham senior It was made at the Castle Hedingham Pottery in Essex in 1895, and is signed by him and bears the Pottery's Castle 'Lozenge' mark. It stands fifteen inches high, and was probably made as a purely decorative piece, all of the projecting nozzles are false. In a true Puzzle Jug, the liquid inside was drawn through one of the nozzles which connected to a hole inside the chamber of the jug. It was the only way to drink the contents, because tipping the vessel meant the liquid would pour out through the fretted sides of the neck. This jug has hole right through to the base, so, presumably, if it was used, the host would pretend to fill it and then the challenger would try in vain to suck the contents through one of the nozzles ! A fabulous piece and a wonderfully complex piece of pottery, imitating the earlier medieval examples.

It has no chips or cracks, save a little piece of the glaze has been knocked off around the rim, although there is no damage to the pot itself.

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