These unconventional vessels task the user to empty the contents without spilling them – with perforated necks, puzzle jugs make it an entertaining challenge! Would you be able to solve the problem and succeed in drinking without spilling from the holes?
Dating from the 1700s to the modern day, our local collector’s passion has led him to research the potters and the rhymes used to dare the drinker. Traditionally, puzzle jugs were slow and tricky to make, and the makers were usually small, short-lived rural potteries working for local markets. Products were rarely marked and barely recorded. This collection shows the trends of these unsung makers.
You can also see the medieval ‘Exeter puzzle jug’ – the earliest example in England – on display in the Gatekeepers to Heaven exhibition in gallery 20 until 3 September, before it returns to the Making History permanent display.
Event Information
Dates and Times
- 18 July 2023 – 28 January 2024
Location
Finders Keepers? gallery
