Antique English Salt Glaze Hunting Jug with Dragon Spout – Attributed to Stephen Green Imperial Pottery, c. 1840–1865

Antique English Salt Glaze Hunting Jug with Dragon Spout – Attributed to Stephen Green Imperial Pottery, c. 1840–1865

Product Description:
This rare and visually striking 19th-century English salt-glazed stoneware jug is attributed to Stephen Green’s Imperial Pottery of Lambeth, one of the leading producers of molded stoneware in the mid-1800s. Likely made between 1840 and 1865, this jug features an elaborate dragon head spout with a coiled serpent handle—a hallmark of the Gothic Revival imagination popular during the Victorian era.

The body is adorned with crisp white applied sprigging that depicts a detailed fox hunting scene complete with horses, riders, hounds, and wooded countryside. The contrast between the natural stoneware body and the white reliefs is achieved through a neoclassical technique also seen in the works of contemporaries like Dudson and Doulton. However, the fantastical figural spout and high-relief execution point strongly to Stephen Green, known for his mythological and narrative motifs on utilitarian forms.

The lower portion of the jug is encircled with ribbed texturing, typical of hand-thrown or finely molded Victorian ceramics. This is a beautiful display piece that showcases both fine craftsmanship and the whimsical artistry of the period.

Dimensions:

• Height: 5"

• Width (spout to handle): 7"

• Body diameter: 4.25"

Condition:

Excellent antique condition. There are no chips or repairs. One small hairline crack is visible on the spout but does not affect the jug’s structural integrity. The piece displays beautifully and remains solid and intact.

Styling Notes:

With its dragon’s head spout and coiled serpent handle, this 19th-century jug invites a touch of folklore into your home—equal parts functional object and sculptural relic. Whether you’re styling a quiet corner or curating a mantel with soul, this piece brings a whisper of Victorian storytelling to any space.

Let it perch atop a stack of old books in a reading nook, as if plucked from a naturalist’s collection. Tuck dried wildflowers or willow stems inside, letting them spill out like a potion in progress. On a dining table, it becomes an unexpected centerpiece—charming, wild, and just a bit eccentric.

We love it styled among weathered woods, soft textiles, and other pieces with patina. It speaks to a layered home: one that feels collected, not decorated.