
The difference between a character jug and a Toby jug is that a character jug only featured the head and shoulders of a figure, whereas a Toby Jug traditionally displays the entire body of the character.
What is the difference between a Toby mug and character jug?
Toby Mugs: A Toby Mug is a Toby Jug that doesn’t have a spout. Without a spout, it’s used for drinking, so it’s a mug. Character Jug: A Character Jug is a jug that only displays a character’s bust (head, face, and sometimes shoulders).
What is a character jug?
Character Jug: A Character Jug is a jug that only displays a character’s bust (head, face, and sometimes shoulders). Royal Doulton is a leading name in Toby Jug collectibles. Toby Jugs have been around since the 18th century, but it wasn’t until Royal Doulton started producing them that they became a household name.
Which Toby Jugs are the most expensive?
The following are the Toby Jugs, Toby Mugs, and Character Jugs with the highest estimated prices. However, remember that the condition of a Toby Jug significantly affects its price. *An excellent-condition jug generally commands a higher price than the same model with chips, cracks, or color irregularities. 1. Toby Gillette Character Jug
Where did the Toby Jug get its name?
Acclaimed potters, such as Ralph Wood I and II, were known for their quality Toby Jug creations. Speculation continues about the origin of the Toby Jug name. One potential source is Sir Toby Belch, a memorable character from Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”

How do I identify a Toby Jug?
Toby Jugs: A Toby Jug is a figural jug that depicts a character's entire body. Original Toby Jugs showed a seated man, sporting a tricorn hat, puffing on a pipe, and holding a mug of ale. Toby Jugs also must have a spout, designating that it's used to pour a liquid.
Why is it called a Toby Jug?
The general consensus is that Toby Jugs were named for an 18th-century Yorkshire man who got the nickname Toby Fillpot after he drank 2,000 pints of Yorkshire stingo (ale). A Toby Jug is a figural ceramic pitcher modeled in the form of a popular character, historical, fictional or generic. It can be a person or animal.
What is the rarest Toby Jug?
The most valuable Toby Jug I've ever handled was a Ralph Wood Toby Jug of a man drinking with his feet overlapping the plinth. The fact that his feet were overlapping made him quite rare. It was made in 1780 and sold for a magnificent £360 back in 1996!
How many Toby Jugs are there?
Seventy-one years later, Mullins displays more than 8,000 of the jugs at the American Toby Jug Museum in this lakeside suburb north of Chicago. The jugs, some going as far back as the 18th century and other as recent as the “Black Panther” film, are commonly referred to as Toby Jugs.
What is a Toby character?
A Toby Jug is a figural ceramic pitcher modeled in the form of a popular character, historical, fictional or generic. It can be a person or animal. The original Tobies date back to the 1760's.
What does a Toby mean in Cockney slang?
(Also to toby, and a toby, meaning a tramp. Slang Dictionary gives toby as the highroad.) Read in context, these paragraphs clearly refer to a life of vagrancy.
Which Royal Doulton figurines are worth the most?
Bunnykins Series The Royal Doulton Bunnykins figurines arrived on the market in 1933, and the company produced more than 150 bunny-themed pieces. The most valuable Bunnykins pieces feature artist Barbara Vernon's signature.
How do you date a Toby jug?
Look for a number in the upper right hand corner of the underside of the jug. Royal Doulton stamped a number there which, when added to the number 1927, will give you the date the piece was made. This number was stamped on the Toby jugs from the year 1927 on. Estimate the date that the Toby jug was made.
Who buys Toby jugs?
ENGLISH POTTERY SALESTHE products of the Staffordshire potteries from blue-printed tablewares to cottage chimney ornaments and Toby jugs to ironstone services, were the subject of a 356-lot sale at Bonhams' Knightsbridge (20/12% buyer's premium) back on May 11.
What is the Toby Mug?
The name “Toby” Mug or Jug was inspired by a character named Toby Philpot in a 1761 English folk song titled “The Brown Jug”. The first English Toby Mugs were after the characters of John Barleycorn, a Whiskey Topper, and Old Charley, a night watchman.
How big is a Toby mug?
Some miniature Toby Mugs measuring 1 ¼” – 2 ½” were also made but none known after 1960. Practically all Character Jugs or Toby Mugs are marked appropriately by the company that made them, often also adding a Model or Size Number notation. Most are also marked with the character they represent, usually of men and less often women.
What do Toby Mugs represent?
In addition to whimsical characters and themes, many Toby Mugs depict famous folk or historical personalities, some American.
Where did jugs originate?
The tradition of making Jugs, Pitchers or Mugs in the shape of human figures or faces has its origins in 18thC England. Character Jugs were also made in the Delft region of Holland for a short time, but most known examples were produced by several Staffordshire potteries.
Who made the first Toby mug?
Although the most prolific company that made Character Jugs or Toby Mugs, is Royal Doulton, the very first Toby Mugs were made by Ralph Wood I and later by his son Ralph Wood II during the 1748 – 1798 period. The name “Toby” Mug or Jug was inspired by a character named Toby Philpot in a 1761 English folk song titled “The Brown Jug”.
Do Toby mugs fetch money?
Character Jugs and Toby Mugs have remained to be popular collectibles and usually fetch good money at auction. The uniqueness of character and famous makers are valued the most, but in this case, there is also a subjective aspect relating to the buyer's preferences in terms of the type of character they collect.
What is a Toby jug?
A Toby Jug is a figural ceramic jug. Each jug is molded in the shape of a notable character. Historically, Toby Jugs feature a hearty man holding a mug in one hand and sporting a tricorn hat. His hat doubles as a pouring spout. Each character is outfitted in typical period fashions.
Where did Toby Jugs originate?
Toby Jugs first made their appearance in 18th-century England. Specifically, the Staffordshire area was a hub of pottery activity. Acclaimed potters, such as Ralph Wood I and II, were known for their quality Toby Jug creations. Speculation continues about the origin of the Toby Jug name.
How are Royal Doulton jugs made?
The Royal Doulton Character Jugs underwent a multi-step production process. First, a skilled artisan created a model of the piece for reference. Next, a worker packed the mold with clay (usually earthenware or stoneware), and then fired the piece in a kiln.
What is a limited edition Doulton jug?
A limited-edition handle design can help to date a Royal Doulton piece. For example, Doulton Collectors Club Founding Members had the chance to obtain a John Doulton Jug with the handle’s clock showing eight o’clock. Newer members’ jugs showed the handle clock at the two o’clock position.
Why was the Royal Doulton character jug withdrawn from production?
Surprisingly, one Royal Doulton Character Jug (actually a two-handled Loving Cup) was withdrawn from production because its subject wasn’t happy with the finished product. In 1940, Royal Doulton artist Charles Noke designed the cream-colored Winston Churchill piece, which was produced during the Battle of Britain.
How many Clark Gable jugs are there?
However, Gable’s estate declined to approve the jugs, and Royal Doulton was forced to end production and destroy the unsold jugs. Approximately 100 Clark Gable jugs are estimated to be in existence.
When did Royal Doulton stop making jugs?
In 2011, Royal Doulton stopped producing its iconic Character Jugs and Character Mugs for good. The Royal Doulton Toby Jugs, Royal Doulton Toby Mugs, and Royal Doulton Character Jugs continue to be popular with lots of different collectors. Because the jugs feature a wide variety of subjects and craftsmanship techniques, ...
