Featured "Anna Van" Briggle pieces - what are they?

What in the world are these? They are 6" high, 4.75" wide from handle to lip, and approx 3.5" in diameter at the lower half.

They look like a pitcher, but you can't pour from them. The handles are hollow, with openings at the top, at the middle near the center hole, and also a drain hole down inside the body.

I know the Anna Van pieces were sometimes made using Dryden molds, but I've also been unable to find a match there. Anyone know?

 

To start, they are honey jugs.

 

Here's an article about the Anna Van pieces: http://www.clemhull.com/Anna Van.html

 

Thank you, Janet. That article is where I learned about the Dryden connection - my book only gives the Anna Van dates of production and three glaze colors, but doesn't show any examples or mention Dryden at all ("Collector's Encyclopedia of Van Briggle" by Sasicki & Fania).

I'll try searching the honey jug keywords and see what I come up with. I just can't picture this being used for anything you have to pour. The way the bulb on the bottom is molded, liquid doesn't come out in a controlled manner even with channel that leads to the lip. Honey is a little thicker, though, so maybe it would work?

Thanks again!

 

When I first saw these pics, the glaze technique reminded me of Blue Mountain pottery from Canada.

 

I always assumed these jugs were primarily decorative. Far too impractical to use.
Don

 

I agree, Don. I had a heck of a time rinsing these out. You tilt them, thinking the water will run out the spout, but instead it just goes everywhere.

I did find a couple called honey jugs / honey pitchers. But I also stumbled across an entry at the Kansas Historical Society which has a Dryden example it calls an "ivy vase". That doesn't quite make sense either. Perhaps I'll come across a photo of one being used for ivy.

http://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/dryden-pottery/10356

(The piece is shown in the photo gallery.)

The other thing I wonder is if the hollow handles and openings in the handles are intended for a certain use, or just incidental from the mold / a way to save clay and reduce production costs / a way to keep the clay thin so it fires evenly, etc.

 

I suppose I could see using them to root ivy cuttings. Can't help with the handles and openings though. Way above my expertise level.
Don

 

Mine too - that's why I'm so confused!

 

Puriton made a lot of these or similar. This one is from Etsy

 

Thanks for finding that. Looks like I might have to buy a small jar of honey and test how well mine pours.