Medieval ; Late Fourteenth Century Rounded Jug ; Brill / Boarstall Ware, Buckinghamshire, England.

Medieval ; Late Fourteenth Century Rounded Jug ; Brill / Boarstall Ware, Buckinghamshire, England.

What is it about pot handles of the medieval period that makes them so evocative ; archaeologists, mudlarks, potters and connoisseurs will all agree on the joy of finding and handling such pieces.

Perhaps it is the directness of the potters touch, or indeed the sense of historic hands that may have held them.
There is also a characterful beauty in their mode of creation ; pinched, pricked, and slashed for practical and decorative purposes, these idiosyncratic marks are unrivalled.

This late fourteenth century rounded jug is typical of the Brill / Boarstall potters of Buckinghamshire, who were amongst the most skilful of English medieval potters, which is clearly evident in this piece.

Seemingly, the jugs marvellous handle is the signature design of the vessel, and a masterful example of the dark art of medieval pot handles.

A comparable jug can be found in the Ashmolean museum, Oxford ( PW128 ) .

Formerly with Jonathan Horne and then with Sam Fogg.

Published in ‘Pots and Tiles of the Middle Ages’ - Maureen Mellor.