American Toby Jug Museum 

Touchstone toby jug produced by Longton New Art Pottery of Longton, England, circa 1955 using its Kelsboro Ware tradename. Touchstone is the clown in Shakespeare's comedy, "As you Like It". First produced around 1599, the play is a dramatic adaptation of Lodge's Rosalynde, and the humorous scenes and the character of Touchstone are some of the delightful additions to the plot. The jesting of clowns is often a guise for the expression of sound philosophy, and this applies to Touchstone. A mixture of the ancient cynic philosopher and the modern buffoon, he turns folly into wit and wit into folly. He accompanies Rosalind and Celia on their adventures in the Forest of Arden and makes "Many a clever jest e'en when his heart is sore." While the heroines finally marry their heroes, Touchstone ends up marrying Audrey, the country wench. Touchstone's jester stick and a liliripe of his cockscomb cap'n bells hat form the handle of the jug.