American Toby Jug Museum 

Jester toby jug in a blue and white colorway produced in Germany circa 1920 and marked Ges Gesch. Professional jesters or fools have been employed to entertain since the days of the Egyptian pharaohs. These tellers of jest were paid to amuse with witty remarks and their madness, real or pretended, gave them license to ridicule their patron no matter how noble. The jester flourished in medieval England and dressed in his motley coat, hood with ass' ears, coxcomb, bells and baubles, he was a familiar sight in royal courts, private households and taverns. By the 1600s these comic entertainers were losing their popularity, but they have been immortalized in literature, particularly in the plays of Shakespeare where jesters are often central to the plot. The long tail of the jester's hat forms the handle of the jug. The mark Ges Gesch is short for "Gesetzlich geschuzt" meaning registered in German. Ware marked in this way is commonly referred to as Ges Gesch ware.