🫙 Jug
Also known as: milk jug, jug, creamer, milk pitcher, pitcher
A milk jug is a handled vessel with a spout for pouring milk into cups and bowls.
A milk jug is a vessel with a handle and a spout for pouring milk. Museum Wales holds two earthenware milk jugs almost two centuries apart. The older one, from Leeds Pottery, dates to 1775–1800 and stands 13.1 cm high. The newer one, from 1969, is 10.7 cm.
The Leeds jug is creamware with a pale greenish glaze. Its body is round, narrows at the shoulder and flares to a wide, shallow spout. The handle is double and reeded, with moulded leaves at the ends, and stylised sprigs of flowers are painted on in puce.
The 1969 jug was made by Wedgwood to a design by Robert Minkin. It is a plain cylinder with an angular handle, and the triangular spout is moulded right into the body. The glaze is cream with brown flecks, and a band of blue triangles runs round the top in three shades. Put them side by side and you see one round body and one straight one, doing the same job.
In the EU, ceramics for food have their own specific rules on top of the general Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 for food contact materials.
Do not mix a jug up with a decanter or an amphora, which belong to wine, while the jug belongs with milk and its other tableware. If you buy one, check that it meets the EU rules; whether the spout is wide or triangular is only a matter of taste.
Facts
| Raw material | Earthenware and creamware 12 |
|---|---|
| Bottle size | 13.1 cm high (Leeds) and 10.7 cm (Wedgwood) 12 |
| Duration | 1775-1800 (Leeds Pottery); 1969 (Wedgwood) 12 |
| Main use | Pouring milk through a spout 12 |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004; ceramics have specific EU measures 3 |
How it connects to milk
Links
- What is packed
- 🥛 Milk
- Part of
- 🍼 Milk containers and tableware
- Wine and milk
- 🍷 Amphora, 🍷 Carafe
Frequently asked questions
Which material are the museum milk jugs made of?
Earthenware: creamware by Leeds Pottery from 1775–1800 and glazed earthenware by Wedgwood from 1969.
Who designed the 1969 Wedgwood milk jug?
Robert Minkin. It has a moulded triangular spout, an angular handle and a band of blue triangles.
Is there EU law for ceramic tableware?
Yes. Ceramics have specific EU measures, plus the general Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 for all food contact materials.
Is it true that old milk jugs were plain?
Not always. The 1775–1800 Leeds jug has a double reeded handle with moulded leaves and puce-painted flower sprigs.
How should I choose a milk jug today?
Check that it follows the EU rules for ceramics. Whether the spout is wide or triangular is a matter of taste.
Similar
🫗 Vacuum flask · 🪣 Bucket · 🍼 Baby bottle · 🫙 Milk can · 🫙 Milk churn · 🫙 Tetra Pak
Sources
- Museum Wales. Milk jug NMW A 38717
- Museum Wales. Milk jug NMW A 35620
- European Commission. Food contact materials