Prattware is best known today in the form of highly collectable, ceramic pot lids but the Staffordshire firms producing it made plenty of other goods too. Here is a Georgian pearlware pottery, hand-painted, early character mug with a wide strap handle and the facial features of the Bacchus the God of wine. His three-dimensional features include pointed ears, a bushy beard, rosy cheeks and a garland of grapes around his head. These crudely made but popular pieces, aimed squarely at the emerging working-class market, were produced in a variety of brightly coloured enamel variations.

Prattware is particularly prone to chipping, especially over more than two centuries of use, and this mug is no exception with two small chips along the rim – one at the front and the other at the side. However, the colours remain remarkably bright and vibrant and there appear to be no repairs or restoration. PLEASE VIEW ALL PHOTOS AS THEY FORM A MAJOR PART OF THE ITEM DESCRIPTION. The mug measures approx. 8.5cm high and 12cm wide.