Two views of the Tony weller musical jug.

In the immediate years before the outbreak of WWII, Royal Doulton were avidly addidng to their many successful series of figures, seriesware and of course character jugs. Items from this period are amongst the most sought after of the Doulton wares, simply because the outbreak of war interrupted or halted production completely of many of these lines.

This small group of five musical character jugs, fall into this category. Production of these musical jugs was interrupted by the outbreak of the war and musical jugs were probably not made long after its commencement, given their scarcity in today’s market place. This is borne out particularly by the scarcity of the Old King Cole jug.

Each of these jugs is fitted with a ‘Thorens’ Swiss movement and the title of the melody it plays is printed around the base of the jug.

Detail to the base of the Tony Weller jug.

The details of these five jugs are as follows:

D5858     Old Charley     1937-42

‘Here’s a Health unto His Majesty’

D5887     Paddy                   1938-42

‘An Irish Jig’

D5888     Tony Weller      1938-42

‘Come, Landlord Fill the Flowing Bowl’

D5889     Auld Mac            1938-42

‘The Campbells are Coming’

D6014     Old King Cole   1939-42

‘Old King Cole’

(a yellow version of this last title exists)

Two versions of Auld Mac. On the left is an ‘A’ mark version ca. 1950’s and on the Right is a musical version.

The musical Auld Mac.

 

Auld Mac’s base.

Derivatives form an exciting sub-theme for collecting and other derivatives including bookends, busts, teapots, milk jugs and sugar bowls exist.

Happy collecting!