A late 18th-century Ralph Wood type creamware Toby jug achieved a hammer price of £360 at Moore Allen & Innocent’s auction in Cirencester on 21 May 2025.
Standing 25 cm tall, the jug depicts the traditional seated Toby figure holding a jug of beer and a pipe. Despite the pipe being noted as damaged or missing, the piece attracted strong interest, reflecting ongoing demand for early Toby wares among ceramics collectors.This creamware example follows the classic Ralph Wood style, popular in the late 1700s for its expressive modelling and warm glaze tones. While not marked, jugs of this type are typically attributed to Staffordshire potters in the Ralph Wood tradition.
The sale confirms continued appetite in the market for quality 18th-century Toby jugs, even when showing signs of wear consistent with age. The auction was conducted by Moore Allen & Innocent at their Gloucestershire saleroom.
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