A Cymric silver jug with Ruskin pottery body, designed by Oliver Baker

This piece brings together two heavyweights of the period, Liberty & Co and the Ruskin Pottery factory. Both innovators and leaders in arts and crafts design in their respective areas.  It incorporates a silver mounted souffle glazed Ruskin jug with a silver lid and surround with scrolling silver handle.   The silver is fully hallmarked for Liberty & Co 1900.  The design is classic Oliver Baker and is model 280, page 304 in the Liberty silver sketch book.  Available on request.

The jug presents in overall excellent condition. The silver lid was missing when acquired and has been made to the design in the Liberty sketchbook by the Harts, at the Guild of Handicraft, Chipping Campden.

The Ruskin pottery jug is made of tocky brown clay and is one of the earliest pieces of Ruskin pottery known, dating from before 1901. The lovely blue green souffle glaze pre dates Ruskins invention of his better know high fired flambe glaze.  In its day this would have been a rare and experimental piece which Liberty embellished.  The base is marked – see images – with what looks like the number 24.  In the earliest ruskin catalogue the jug is sold “for mounting” with number model nuber 88. – see images. (My thanks to the Ruskinpottery.org website for this information and image).

The link between Baker and The Ruskin factory, both based in Birmingham, was most likely through William Rabone Haseler, owner of the firm William Hair Haseler who made all Liberty’s Cymric silver. He was also President of The Birmingham School of Art of which Edward Richard Taylor, founder of the Ruskin factory, was headmaster.

Price : £4,950

Maker: Liberty & Co, Ruskin Pottery

Designer: Oliver Baker (attrib)

Date : 1900

Marks: Liberty & Co, Birmingham, date letter “a”

Material: Sterling silver, Ruskin pottery

Condition: Replaced silver lid

Size: 27 cm high, Ruskin jug base max diameter 15cm

Weight : NM