Rare Two-Gallon Stoneware Jug with Cobalt Decoration of a Gentleman's Bust, New York State origin, circa 1870, cylindrical jug with semi-rounded spout, decorated with a large and boldly-brushed design of a gentleman's bust, featuring a detailed eye with lashes, mustache, pronounced goatee, and collar shirt with distinctive necktie. Aspects of the portrait suggest it depicts the well-known military figure of the American Civil War and Indian Wars, George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876), who famously died in "Custer's Last Stand" at the Battle of Little Bighorn. The size (nine inches in height), detail, and strength of the cobalt are all noteworthy, contributing to a profile design that we consider among the finest we have ever offered. The manner in which the design is drawn, including its disproportionate eye with lashes, solid cobalt goatee, and linear brushwork creating the shirt, create a design with strong folk art appeal. Excellent, essentially as-made condition with light staining, minor in-the-firing chipping to spout, and some minor spots of bubbling to cobalt.
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