Owl jug

Manufacturer Thomas Webb & Sons British
 possibly designed by Christopher Dresser British, Scottish

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 516

This colorful jug in the form of a bird was made in 1879 by the Victorian glass company Thomas Webb & Sons at Stourbridge, near Birmingham. Its pattern is recorded in the company’s archives as number 11952 (dated 1879). This is, as of yet, the only known example of this pattern to have been produced or at least to survive. It has been associated with the designs of Christopher Dresser, who is believed to have supplied Thomas Webb & Sons with some of his ideas in the aftermath of the 1862 International Exhibition held in London. The owl jug has been likened to one of Dresser’s decorative designs published in Studies in Design (London, 1874, plate II) and a related hand screen attributed to the in the Art Furnishers’ Alliance in collection of the V&A (W.3-2015). While Dresser’s authorship cannot be conclusively proven, the jug remains an intriguing example of Thomas Webb & Sons inventive and eclectic productions.

Owl jug, Thomas Webb & Sons (British, founded 1837), Glass, blown, enameled and gilded, British, Stourbridge

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Owl jug, Thomas Webb & Sons (British, founded 1837), Glass, blown, enameled and gilded, British, Stourbridge
Owl jug, Thomas Webb & Sons (British, founded 1837), Glass, blown, enameled and gilded, British, Stourbridge
Owl jug, Thomas Webb & Sons (British, founded 1837), Glass, blown, enameled and gilded, British, Stourbridge

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