Antique Pearlware Child’s Doe and Fawn Mug – c.1820

A charming early 19th-century child’s pearlware mug decorated with a black transfer-printed scene of a doe and her fawn.

The animals are shown within a rural landscape of trees, fencing, water and distant hills. The word “DOE” appears beneath the image, although the lower portion of the lettering has been imperfectly transferred or worn away.

Small pictorial mugs of this type were often given to children as presents or rewards, with the named animal scenes providing an educational element. This attractive example would make an appealing addition to a collection of early children’s pottery, animal transferware or Georgian ceramics.

The mug has a cylindrical body, moulded foot and simple loop handle. The underside is unmarked and retains an old collector’s label.