Book excerpt: The Toby jug is often seen a s a uniquely British form of ceramics. Its history dates back at least as far as the 1770s, and it is possible to trace its ancestors even further back to the creation of anthropomorphic jugs and bottles by medieval potters. Toby and Character Jugs surveys the development of the Toby and related character jugs from their early beginnings to the present day. Over the years, the form of the Toby has developed from the basic shape of a rotund gentlemen seated with a jug of beer to encompass a huge variety of characters, and manufacturers both large and small in all parts of the world have produced the Toby. This new edition to Shire's coverage of various forms of ceramics acts as an introduction to this fascinating subject and provides useful hints and advice for all those thinking of collecting Toby jugs.