Mary Boardman Studio Pottery Stoneware Jug with Cow Parsley Slip Motif

This is a lovely example of a hand-thrown decorative studio pottery jug by the Herefordshire potter, Mary Boardman.

The rim is slightly everted. The short neck sweeps downwards to a rounded body, which curves firstly inward and then outward again to the slightly flared base. The handle is of strap form and the indentations of the potter’s thumbs can be seen where the lower part joins the body.

The glaze is a speckled stone colour, which seems to become slightly darker towards the base. The design appears to be that of stylised cow parsley and has been formed by trailing with different coloured slips (liquid clay).

The base is unglazed and reveals the underlying stoneware body. It is impressed on the side with a monogram, containing the letters ‘MB’. I believe this is the mark of Mary Boardman, who from 1980 to 1983 produced stoneware pieces with decorative slipwork in floral and geometric designs.

It has a height of 23.1cm, with a diameter across the rim of about 11.6cm and across the base of about 11.5cm.

It has an unwrapped weight of 1320g.

It is in excellent condition, with no chips or cracks.