Stoneware Jug with Das Rathaus zu Münster Decoration, Germany, 20th Century

A Rhenish stoneware jug of one litre capacity with a rounded body, blue banded decoration on the neck, and a printed depiction of Münster's town hall with the inscription "Das Rathaus zu Münster" in Gothic lettering. The jug is fitted with a cobalt-glazed stopper and stands on a narrow foot. Unmarked on the base. The piece is in good vintage condition without cracks or restoration.

Rhenish stoneware has a production tradition stretching back to the late Middle Ages, with principal centres at Frechen, Siegburg, and the Westerwald. The characteristic grey body with cobalt blue decoration saw renewed popularity in the twentieth century as a vehicle for townscapes and local symbols, combining everyday utility with the function of a souvenir. Münster's town hall, built in the fourteenth century and celebrated as the site of the Peace of Münster in 1648, was a favourite motif. This jug pairs a commonplace domestic format with a small piece of civic history.