Mug (Frog mug)

Description

Over the centuries, many types of alcoholic beverage ware were created to serve as parts of games or jokes. Some, like this mug, feature three-dimensional frogs, lizards, and the like that surprised unsuspecting drinkers. The English seem particularly to have enjoyed such time-honored jokes. On this "frog mug," the little animal has a hollowed out body, in part to help it survive the firing process. Perhaps those who drank from such vessels not only were surprised by the sight of the frogs, but also were entertained by gurgling or whistling noises that came from them as the cup was drained. The patterned ornament on the exterior of this mug was created by trailing on different colors of slip (liquid clay) and then twisting the vessel so the colors slid over the surface to create a marbled or "agate" appearance. Then, a comb made of feathers or hog bristles was gently dragged over the surface to create elaborate peaks and troughs in the design. This approach was not new in the late 1700s. It was a popular ornamental style on late 1600s drinking vessels from Staffordhire and sometimes ornamented the exteriors of owl-shaped slipware jugs.