Face Jugs for sale at: Frank Sullivan Pottery Website

What is a face jug?
A face jug is a thrown potter jug made from earthware, stoneware or porcelain with the addition of pieces of formed clay to give the jug the appearance of a face. The face can be very primitive or very sculpture like in appearance. Most jugs are based on traditional utilitarian jug shapes which go back many hundreds of years. You will see face jugs also referred to as “ugly jugs” or “grotesques jugs” for obvious reasons.

History
Everybody who has researched face jugs has found the standard references to the origin of face jugs. They are 1) African slaves brought the idea with them when they were brought to the Americas and slave potters created face jugs to ward off evil spirits from their homes or the graves of their kin, 2) Face jugs were made as a way of breaking the boredom of pottery throwing and were for entertainment, 3) The jugs were made to protect moon shine or poisons from young children. The father would tell the story to the children that there is a “boggy man” in the closet that will get you. Once the children look in the closet, see the “booggy man”, it was assured that the jug of liquid was safe.

It is the common belief that face jugs became more common in the early 1800’s notably in the Edgefield South Carolina area which was the center of the southern pottery industry until the mid 1800’s. Few written accounts are available describing the face jug movement in this area. One notable potter from this area whose jugs are still around today is known as Dave the slave.

Dave the Slave
Dave the slave worked in the Edgefield, South Carolina area. Dave was unusual in that he could read and write. Dave was owned by publishers of a newspaper in Edgefield and served on his owner’s plantation. In the face of adversity and under the risk of severe punishment, Dave the slave inscribed rebellious sayings on his jugs and even signed a few jugs. There is no record of Dave making face jugs but his work is one of the few direct links to this time and gives a perspective from a slave potter’s point of view.

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