Photographs.
1. Use a white background, must toby jugs are coloured and show up better on a light background. An exception might be made for an all white toby jug though.
2. Try not to get too miuch reflected light, this shows up nothing. Most jugs, usually ols jugs have a nice subdued glaze, try and show this.
3. The most boring part is the hat, try not to take the photos from the top angle.
4. If the jug has a decorated handle, or a stamp or marks on the face, include a photo, you might not know anything about these marks, but the buyer might.
Description
1. As always, be as accurate as you can.
2. Seek expert advice, sometimes general ceramics collecters might not be the best source of knowledge. A common mistake would be that Nelson jugs were made to commemerate Nelsons victory at trafalger in 1805, when in fact thete commemorated Nelsons Column in London in 1855.
3. Always put on the size, both in inches and centemetres, some jugs are more valuable according to size, and all collecters want some idea of the size of a jug.
4. Always be aware of the differeance from an original and a reproduction, dont be afraid of a jug being a reproduction, some reproductions are highly sought after and are just or nearly as valuable as the original.
5. Some times jugs are offered with a presidence attached, always be sceptical of this. Some times jugs are sold with stories attached that they were bought in 1950, and the dealer assured them that the jug was 100 years old then. Even documentry proof can be produced, this is often false. Ask yourself, could the dealer in 1950 be trusted ?
6. One of the best known descriptions are Victorian jugs with the date 1797 at the bottom of the base, these are clearly produced later, and were made by unscrupulese Victorian potters.
7. If you don't know, or are in doubt, leave it to the buyer. Some times jugs are attributed to certain potters, and this marginal at best, just say what it could be.
8. Condition is everything, Damage to very old jugs ( 1770-1820 ) is inevitable, and to a certain extent allowable, but a perfect old jug in pristine condition will sell at a premium. Also restoration if known should be shown. Some restored jugs are very hard to determine, and might need expert analisys, maybe with the use of untra violet light or x-rays. There are rumours in the trade of certain expert restorers taking serveral toby jugs and breaking them apart, then re assembling them to make one very collectable jug, then applying a very undetactable paint finish, resulting in a very expensive jug, which is almost impossible to doubt.
9. Some toby jugs are not just collected by toby jug collecters. If a jug has a makers mark, include this in the title and description. An example of this would be Sumida or Goss, both potteries produced toby jugs, but these jugs are more sought after by Sumida or Goss collecters that anyone else. ( I think )
10. Toby jugs descriptions sometimes include the types, such as, Thin Man, Hearty Good Fellow, Sailor, Huntsman, Squire, Benjamin, Lord Howe, Barraster, Dr Johnson, Martha Gunn, Gin Woman, Punch and Judy. Also makers such as Ralph Wood, Whielden, Pratt, Davenport, William Kent, Portabello. Please be careful how you use these in the title or description, often such attributes are very hard to absolutely define, even by very experienced experts.
General Information.
A lot of variables go towards the value of a toby jug, and what a certain collecter is willing to pay depends on so much, but here's a sort of check list.
1. Type of jug and size
2. Age
3. Condition and quality of moulding
4. Maker or factory
5. Colour, design and finish
6. Extras, such as lid, box, certificate, part of a pair
7. Provinence, such as a Mackintosh auction sticker or signed name
8. Miss shapes, factory rejects, pre production releases, these might not appeal to toby jug collecters as much as you might think.
Here are a few other hints about buying toby jugs.
1. Get as much exposure as you can, now matter how expensive a jug is, ask if you can hold it and examine it in detail
2. Never lift a jug by the handle, to pick up a jug, use both hands, and insert your fingers inside the top.
3. Never pick up a toby jug and turn it upside down with out checking for a lid , it might have a lid, which will fall and smash.
4. Never believe anything anyone tells you, I have heard stories of left and right handed jugs, special jugs made due to the bubonic plague, jugs made using the wrong side of the mould thus coming out the wrong way round, very rare jugs depicting a famous one armed man when its just an arm that fell off while the jug was fired, glaze cracle that shows a jug was 300 years old, ownship certificated that say a jug was in the family for 100 years, jugs patched up with poster paint, others stuck together with bubble gum.
The bubble gum was not a bad idea, it showed clearly exactly where the damage was, and was completely reversable, I have heard very bad stories of jugs repaired using superglue, which makes reversing the repiar almost impossible.
