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History of Face Jugs
Between 1810 and 1865, an abundance of functional pottery was produced in the remote Edgefield Potteries in South Carolina and sold to neighboring counties and states. Edgefield Potteries was worked in part by artisan slaves who turned the pots, pushed the wheels, carried the pottery and loaded the kilns. In their free time, some of the artisans made pottery of their own choice. Many of them chose to make jugs and pots now known as Face Jugs. These were often stoneware jugs modeled in the shape of human faces. Most were alkaline glazed stoneware in simple, earthy tones. Though there are many gaps in historical data regarding the making, use and meaning of the face jug pottery, there is no doubt that the vessels were original and functional artistic expressions. Most of the early skilled potters who made Face Jugs have not been identified by name. Researchers speculate that the vessels carried a religious significance, as they were found on gravesites. It was thought that the jug filled with corn liquor would keep the evil spirits from their loved ones. In later years of the 19th century, the jugs were used to hide moonshine from the owner’s children and the local law enforcement. In the 1950’s face jugs were brought back by the Meaders family in Southern Georgia. They jugs were considered Southern Folk Art. Lanier Meaders, considered the most famous Southern Folk Art Face Jug Potter, took over the pottery shop from his father in 1967. Lanier made over 10,000 jugs in his lifetime. These early jugs are now selling for $ 30,000 and up each piece. The Meaders family is still active in the face Jug making. Face Jugs now are widely collected in the southern United States, valued highly by collectors they range from amusing, to scary and grotesque. Usually the scarier and uglier they are, the more valued they are. Individual artists' will either coil build or throw the jugs on the wheel and then alter them by sculpting them to create their own personalized representation of the face or animal. Most jugs will have porcelain teeth and eyes or rock teeth and eyes following in the footsteps of the original jugs. If you would like to know more about face jugs, look on ebay under Southern Folk Art/Face jugs, to see the latest potters creations. To look up the history of face jugs, one of the best known sites I can recommend is to go to http://franksullivanpottery.com/FaceJugHistory.aspx,
I currently am not creating face jugs, l will consider commission work if you contact me. thanks for your
understanding
understanding
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