American Toby Jug Museum 

The Ring Master character jug modeled by Stanley J. Taylor and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, between 1991-1993. The Ring Master officiates at a circus performance. An authoritarian figure, he cracks his whip and keeps both the animals and performers in line. Most circus acts take place in round areas called rings. A small circus may have only one or two rings. Large circuses have three rings where three acts perform simultaneously. So much goes on that no enthralled audience member can follow everything. In one ring elephants dance on their hind legs. In another trained seals balance large rubber balls on their noses, or trained horses may gallop at breakneck speeds around the ring while riders jump from horse to horse. In the third a lion tamer cracks his whip and the big cats leap to his command. Apparently, this fellow is pleased with the success of tonight's performance. A horse's head and plume form the handle of the jug.