Pottery jugs are available in a number of different shapes and sizes although there is a reasonably standard shape that many of them are made in known as the beehive shape. The beehive jug was one of the earlier shapes in which they were made and can usually be found in larger sizes such as 3, 4 or 5 gallon jugs.
The use of beehive jugs as whiskey jugs came down to a number of factors such as the ease with which they could be thrown and, therefore, the cost associated with making them. Because they were usually hand crafted you will find that there are slight variations in each jug even though they might be made by the same pottery factory and contain whiskey from the same distillery.
Collecting glazed beehive jugs has become an increasingly popular pastime, particularly for those looking to add a decorative feature to the room. Antique beehive jugs can be purchased reasonably cheaply and with the glazed finish adding a shiny appeal they can sit in pride of place to add texture and substance to the room.
Many of the different types of beehive jugs were originally manufactured as storage containers for transporting whiskey from distilleries and so they will contain markings identifying the distillery and the year of manufacture. Collectors should be able to use these identifying marks to determine the age of the jug.
Not all beehive jugs were created to store whiskey with the style also used by a number of art pottery houses to produce some stunning works. The bulbous shape provides an appearance of great solidity and the broad front of the pot provides an appropriate canvas for decorative glazes to be applied. The jug displayed here to the right is a Rowe Pottery beehive jug that was part of the Historical Collection 2004 from Rowe Pottery Works.
Whether you prefer the look of a slip glazed jug or a salt glazed jug or the most popular two-toned look that incorporates both types of glaze, beehive jugs are made using all methods. The two jugs pictured towards the top of the page are examples of a slip glazed beehive jug (on the right) and a salt glazed beehive jug (on the left).
One of the most recognised and collectible brands of beehive pottery jugs are Red Wing. Red Wing jugs bear a distinctive image of a wing (as well as a few other distinctive designs) on the front and are still available in reasonably solid numbers on the secondary market.
There is a lot more information about beehive jugs as well as many other jug types on our stoneware whiskey jugs page.