An authentic 19th-century Victorian relief-moulded stoneware jug/pitcher in the highly collectible "Wheat Ears" (also known as "Ceres") pattern, produced by James Dudson (Dudson Pottery) of Hanley, Staffordshire, England.
Dating to circa 1861, this beautiful piece stands approximately 15cm (6 inches) tall. It features a matte, unglazed parian-style blue stoneware body with crisply molded details of overlapping wheat stalks wrapping around the body and flowing down the handle. The underside is unmarked except for an incised potter's tally mark, which is completely correct for a Dudson piece of this era before standardized backstamps were introduced in 1882.
Condition Please note that this item is being sold with damage, which has been factored into the price. There is a chip on the upper rim with an associated radiating internal hairline crack running downwards (please see the final close-up image for details). There are also some minor age-related soot/surface marks in the unglazed crevices, consistent with its 160+ year history.
Despite the rim flaw, the relief molding remains incredibly crisp and vibrant, making it an excellent, affordable cabinet or shelf display piece for a collector of early Staffordshire pottery.