The Horseshoe stoneware jug was an invention by a man named Henry Stiles as part of his process to come up with a pouring spout that would allow liquid to pour freely. For this reason the jug is also sometimes referred to as a Stiles Jug. The idea was to come up with a jug with a spout that would allow air to flow into the jug while liquid was being poured out, thus improving the smoothness of the liquid’s flow.
What is unusual about the shape of the horseshoe jug is the rounded sides that house the spout to allow the jug to “roll when poured” and the flat sides that permit the jugs to be stacked for storage. Around the time that the jug was first being manufactured by The Cleveland Pottery Company, demand for jugs was high and ways of maximising kiln space during firing and then storage space during transportation was a key feature. The design of the Horseshoe jug meant that every inch of space was being used to its fullest potential.
Although the Horseshoe Jug, or Stiles Jug, was originally designed for its potential to pour more smoothly, it was later marketed by The Cleveland Pottery Company as more of an artistic object. The jugs were being produced with heavy glazes and given more of an Art Nouveau look with decorative handle designs. Decorative features such as sponged paintwork on the sides and inscriptions in fancy lettering have also made them more collectable as things of beauty. Some of these inscriptions have suggested that they could also have been used as whiskey jugs.
Today, stoneware horseshoe jugs may be looked upon favourably for their unusual and distinctive shape when compared with other old pottery jugs. The old pottery jugs with a horseshoe design would sit well in company with a collection of stoneware pottery whiskey jugs as an important part of the history of stoneware, particularly Ohio stoneware. This should be seen as just another way in which you can decorate with stoneware jugs and create a very distinctive style from it.
More stoneware jug information
If you are interested in buying a stoneware jug there is an extensive selection of different types on display. You will find a broad selection on the general stoneware whiskey jugs page or you can get more specific by looking for jugs by specific manufacturers such as McCormick Platte Valley whiskey jugs, Glenmore whiskey jugs, Henry McKenna whiskey jugs, The Western Stoneware Company jugs. You might also like to look at our range of moonshine jugs or Kentucky whiskey jugs.