American Toby Jug Museum 

Old Salt toby jug produced in chalkware by Marshall Taplow of London, England, circa 1930. "On Friday morn as we set sail, And our ship not far from the land; We there did espy a fair, pretty maid, With a comb and a glass in her hand." The ship in question sank to the bottom of the sea. Given a little liquid encouragement to remind him of former days afloat, the Old Salt can spin hundreds of yarns like this to pass the long days and nights spent trawling at sea: tales of enchanted islands, innumerable battles with ocean monsters and age-old legends of the mermaid, the mythical lady of the sea. The beauty of these sirens with golden hair and shimmering bodies, half women, half fish, has inflamed many a sailor and their bewitching song has lured many a boat onto jagged rocks, bringing wreckage and instant destruction. This is an advertising jug for Marshall Taplow Whitehall Distillery and was designed to hold a miniature bottle of liquor. A heavy twisted rope forms the handle of the jug.