March, 2008 ~ 18th-Century Puzzle Jug

This special object, with multiple spouts and decorative piercing in the neck – is a creamware puzzle jug. While puzzle jugs had been popular for some time, they became even more commonplace in the taverns of the 18th century. The “puzzle”—to drink the contents of the jug without spilling them—was quite a trick with so many perforations near the spout. In the case of this particular jug, currently on display in the Crowninshield Gallery, a hidden passage for the liquid runs from the bottom of the jug through the hollow handle to the spout. To successfully accomplish the feat and “solve the puzzle,” the drinker had to suck from the spout and block the other spouts along the rim. Needless to say, whether the consumer was on his first drink or last, the entire process was liable to make quite a mess!