Antique Ridgways Stoneware Jug Coaching Days and Coaching Ways with Silver Lustre Rim

A beautifully shaped Ridgways stoneware jug from the Coaching Days and Coaching Ways series, finished in that rich amber treacle glaze with detailed black transfer scenes. The silver lustre rim and handle give it a lovely extra lift, catching the light and making it feel more special on a table or a shelf.

A collector detail that makes this series such a talking point: Ridgways took the scenes from the 1888 book Coaching Days and Coaching Ways by W Outram Tristram, with illustrations by Hugh Thomson and Herbert Railton, originally published by Macmillan.

It measures 19 cm high and 16 cm across to the handle. It works brilliantly as a water jug, a generous milk jug, or as a vase for garden stems and spring flowers. Styling wise, it looks especially good with blue and white ceramics, brass or pewter, and stacked cookbooks on open shelving.

As you would expect with antique stoneware, there are gentle signs of age and use, and the silver lustre shows some wear in places, which suits the piece and its history.