Featured Old Creamware? Jug pitcher Marriage Family?

Hiya, I have had this setting around for 20 years , can anyone tell me anything about it? Is it worth getting the handle repaired? Seems quite old.

Thanks, Steve

 

My idle guess would be English, and not likely later than mid-19th C.

Unless you are actually planning to use it, I'd leave the handle alone. Repairing it (unless you do it yourself) will not likely be worth the expense.

Wait to see what others say.

 

Interesting. Both Binning and Massie are Scottish names originally and the decoration does look "English" (although I have a modest collection of pieces with similar from both England and Belgium.)

A quick search on Ancestry for William and Janet Binning (I wonder about the misspelling for William's surname) and Alexander Massie yields many records for these surnames in both Scotland and the US. Hard to get more focused without lots of work.

 

Probably a form of whiteware rather than creamware. This site can give some guidance on age. Note their description of chrome colors with alkaline glaze after 1830.

https://apps.jefpat.maryland.gov/di... Ceramics/PaintedWares/index-paintedwares.htm

 

I thought that was interesting also , Binning with 3 N's, I just wondered if this was a marriage jug?

 

I'm afraid that I am not familiar with the term "marriage jug." What part of the country did you find this in?

 

aka wedding pitcher

HAND PAINTED STAFFORDSHIRE WEDDING JUG ~ 1826 PITCHER NAMED DATED ~ ANTIQUE | #1882074223 (worthpoint.com)

ENGLISH PINK LUSTRE SUNDERLAND "ASHTON" WEDDING CERAMIC PAIR OF PITCHERS | #3821538253 (worthpoint.com)

Large Staffordshire Pink Lustre Pitcher Transfer Decorated Marriage Jug ~ 1824 | #1870742177 (worthpoint.com)

 

Scottish spongeware and very nice too.

 

Do you know why the 2 family names with so many members listed on it?

 

That, I don't. I was thinking children maybe, but the surnames differ. Unless it's grandchildren as well. It's not wedding, imo.

You might ask these people: https://www.scottishpotterysociety.org.uk/

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScottishPottery/

If you google Scottish spongeware, you'll find some very similar decoration.

 

Here is what I got back from Patricia Samford

Hello Steven:

What a great find! Thank you for sharing. Your Dutch-shape jug dates to 1829 or a decade or two later. The use of the chrome colors in the flowers (the specific reds and greens, plus the black stems on the flowers) provide that date, since 1829 was the first year that those colors could be fired under the glaze. I decided to poke around in Ancestry with the names and was able to hone the date down further.

William Binning (note the misspelling of the names in various places on your jug!) was listed on the 1851 Scotland census in Fife. He was 61 at the time the census was taken and was married to Janet Binning (age 50) and living in their household in 1851 were Caroline Massey (age 29), Janet Massey (age 27), Marjory Binning (age 16). Janet had been married to Robert Massey prior to her marriage to Binning and their children in the 1841 census included William (age 19), Robert (17), George (15), James (12) and Alexander (9). Peter Binning appears to have been born around 1840.

The presence of Marjory on the jug (born in 1835) and Peter (born c. 1840) means that the manufacture of the jug dates after 1840.

Not sure how they or the jug got to the United States. But the repair job on the handle suggests that it was a prized possession that they did not want to discard when the handle was broken. It is possible that this jug commemorates moving to a new house, or perhaps some sort of anniversary? I'm not sure, but it is a really great purchase!

Tricia






Patricia Samford
Director, Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab
Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, Maryland 20685
240-925-2748
patricia.samford@maryland.gov
https://jefpat.maryland.gov/

 

Great that you got such a detailed response from such a knowledgeable person! Jefpat is well thought of around here!

 

Yes I wouldn't have come anything close to what she researched. Especially since the names were spelled incorrectly.

 

hey, we're good....but we're not that good !!!!

nice that they talked to you !!!!!

 

What a lovely reply. Not everybody would take the time to send a reply this detailed.