American Toby Jug Museum 

Count Dracula character jug modeled by David B. Biggs and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, as the 1997 Character Jug of the Year. The first appearance of Count Dracula was in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula", which has become familiar through countless films, derivative tales, and even a Broadway musical. Stoker was originally going to call his vampire Count Wampyr but changed it to Count Dracula as his research uncovered a fifteenth century Voivode Dracula who fought against the Turks. Stoker was attracted to the name Dracula because in the Wallachian language it means devil. The real Dracula was not a Count, nor was he a vampire, although these two Draculas have become greatly confused in the minds of many people. Vampires have existed in folklore and legend for hundreds of years, back to ancient times. Stoker came across some information about vampire beliefs in Transylvania that he used in the novel. He was also familiar with earlier vampire literature written during the nineteenth century. A crucifix, garlic cloves, cross and open window form the handle of the jug.