Toby & Character Jugs of the 20th Century and Their Makers

by David C. Fastenau and Stephen M. Mullins

Review courtesy of and with permission of the Maine Antique Digest

The Toby jug, a unique human-form jug descended from a long line of anthropomorphic vessels from ancient times, has its origins (according to general consensus) sometime between 1760 and 1770. It is not known who created the first Toby jug, and even the origins of its name are vague, though it could be an English derivation of the French tope, which means to drink to excess. Early Tobies had a hollow cap that completed the hat of the figure, but most have been damaged or discarded over the years.

This book covers jugs (with a spout on the top rim) as opposed to mugs and includes only those pieces that could be positively identified by the authors. A Toby jug depicts the form of a full-bodied figure, while a character jug includes only the head or face and often the shoulders. The authors have not made extensive efforts to identify the hundreds of Japanese-produced jugs that commonly appear on the market; instead, they focus on jugs they consider more interesting and of better quality.

Jugs are listed alphabetically by manufacturer or by country of manufacture if that is the only marking. A history of the manufacturer is included with the listings. The manufacturer (or country) listings then list separately character and Toby jugs alphabetically by character name and include the height of each piece. Listings also include model number, year issued, edition size, production life, and other information, where applicable. Some manufacturer listings also include tankards, mugs, figural relief jugs, and Toby jug derivatives. One section lists unattributed jugs by character name or description and includes the height of the jugs. Another section includes listings aimed at the collector who collects according to series, sets, and pairs, listing those entries alphabetically by maker. An index at the back of the book lists characters and makers for easy cross-referencing.

Vic Schuler, author of three editions of British Toby Jugs, says in the preface, "I have learnt much from this book. I feel sure that others will also. I feel that it will be regarded as an important piece of 20th century ceramic literature." Those of us less informed on the subject than Schuler will surely find this book useful. The numerous photos (all in color) are small, but most are sharp enough to show helpful details. A companion price guide (not available at the time of this review) will be offered in the future for $9.95 and will show market values for the jugs identified in this book.