Seventeenth Century Bartmann Jug ; ‘Pieter Van Den Ancker‘ Merchants Medallion ; dated 1660.

Seventeenth Century Bartmann Jug ;
‘Pieter Van Den Ancker‘ Merchants Medallion ; dated 1660.

Pieter Van Den Ancker was somewhat of a grand fromage in the import business of ‘continental wines and stone bottles’ around the second half of the seventeenth century.

After settling in London from Dordrecht in 1657 he became one of the main suppliers of Bartmann jugs to the London trade between 1660 and 1665 ; commissioning Frechen potters with a dozen or so variations of his aptly chosen ‘anchor’ merchants mark for medallions on stoneware bottles.

Our example depicts an anchor inverted, four roses, the initials PVA, and dated 1660 - This medallion design is regarded as one of a higher standard of professional artistry compared to the later designs that followed which often show signs of being from cruder cut moulds.

One other ‘PVA 1660’ example is recorded with the Museum of London, which was found at Rolls Chapel, Chancery Lane, London.