WHISKY WATER JUGS
Whiskey water jugs date from around the turn of the last century, coming in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs. Whilst some are worth as little as $5, others fetch as much as $500 for a single item.
Since the early-1900s, the most popular of mixers to be taken along with a 'wee dram' has been simply water.
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WHISKY WATER JUGS |
As this is the case, it did not take manufacturers and distillers too long to , figure out that at least one water jug on every bar is a good place to advertise, and in fact are used as an advertising token in their own right. The main names advertising on water jugs are, rather unsurprisingly, the various Scotch whiskey distillers, followed, as the idea gathered momentum, by Irish, Canadian and Bourbon and followed to a lesser extent by Gin, Vodka, Rum and Cognac.
The trend for collecting water jugs, it appears, started in the very early days with some landlords thinking that a variety of the different jugs available would be a novel way to decorate their hostelries. And drinkers wanted more of a souvenir from their regular nights out than just a headache and empty pockets!
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WHISKY WATER JUGS |
Brimming over
Primarily a custom of the UK, collecting jugs eventually became transatlantic, spreading to the United States in the 1920s. It became even more popular during the 1950s when liquor salesmen gave jugs to bar owners and liquor stores as a token to advertise their products.
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WHISKY WATER JUGS |
For several years, however, Federal laws have forbidden free products to advertise alcoholic products in the USA, but these items can still be found through distillers, distributors and speciality shops. No such laws exist in the UK, and the popularity of this field has continued to grow.
Today the practice has become so common, that collectors' editions of various whiskeys are available with their own miniature water jug enclosed.These are usually more available around
Christmas time, although some can be found throughout the year as distillers hold marketing promotions.
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WHISKY WATER JUGS |
Collecting can start with the occasional item picked up from friendly bar-staff and landlords who like to keep a good customer happy. Friends and acquaintances can also kept an eye out for unusual items.
After deciding that you would like to collect water jugs, why not find out a little bit about the subject. With the help of both the Internet and various guides, you will soon discovered that there are more desirable jugs to collect, made predominantly by Wade and Staffordshire, with some of the earlier examples made by Doulton. Hall China from the USA was also a major manufacturer.
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WHISKY WATER JUGS |
Jugs galore
Water jugs can be made from glazed ceramic, glass, metal, and in the case of some of the later patterns, plastic.
The shapes may vary from the simple pitcher, which is by far the commonest form, to a bust of a famous person, or objects such as a bottle, a powder horn or the headgear of a knight. water jugs are produced in runs of only approximately 500 units which, considering the amount of public houses is not very many at all.
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WHISKY WATER JUGS |
Finding new additions for reasonable prices is becoming much more difficult now, although the occasional gem still surfaces at local yard sales fairs & car-boot sales. the fun is in the hunt and being able to admire your collection, which you have built up over the years.
Collectibles Coach
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