A Circa 19th Century Corey Jug Victorian Glass

Collectors and appraisers occasionally encounter a Victorian-era glass jug described as a “Corey Jug.” While the phrase itself is not a standard historical term, it points to a recognizable category: 19th-century hand-worked glass ewers and table jugs, often English or Bohemian, sometimes with silver mounts, engraving, or enamel decoration. This guide explains what “Corey Jug” likely denotes, how to pin down date and origin, and what drives value.

What Collectors Mean by “Corey Jug”

The term “Corey Jug” is not widely documented in period catalogues or museum taxonomies. In trade usage, it often functions as a shorthand label applied by a dealer, auction house, or family provenance to a Victorian glass jug whose precise maker is uncertain. In practice, the piece is typically one of the following:

• A claret jug: a decanter-like ewer for wine, frequently with silver or silver-plated mount, hinged lid, and a tall, narrow neck.
• A water or lemonade jug: broader body, sometimes with an “ice lip” to retain cubes, usually without metal mounts.
• A decorative art jug: richly worked glass (engraved, enameled, or cut-to-clear) intended for display rather than table service.

If your “Corey Jug” resembles any of these, approach identification by material evidence—form, color, construction, decoration, and marks—rather than the nickname.

Dating a Victorian Glass Jug: Key Diagnostics

Accurate dating relies on multiple converging clues. Use these diagnostics as a structured process.

• Glass color and composition:

  • Clear lead crystal: common in English Stourbridge work (Thomas Webb, Stevens & Williams) and in cut claret jugs.
  • Bristol blue (deep cobalt): popular from late 18th century through the Victorian period.
  • Cranberry (gold ruby): fashionable c. 1860–1900; body may be color-cased or overlay.
  • Uranium (vaseline) glass: yellow-green that fluoresces under UV. Most common 1880s–early 20th century.
  • Opaline (opaque white or pastel): French and Bohemian varieties mid-19th century; English opaline later and less common.

• Method of manufacture:

  • Hand-blown with pontil: look for either a rough pontil scar or a polished pontil on the base. A polished pontil suggests higher-end hand finishing.
  • Mold-blown or pressed: mold seams may be visible; pressed glass often shows pattern repeats and seam lines.
  • Ground and polished rims and stoppers: in better quality pieces, the stopper and neck are ground for a precise fit.

• Handle and lip:

  • Applied handles show a “join mark” where the handle meets the body; faint tool lines may be visible.
  • Ice lips on water jugs appear from mid- to late 19th century.
  • Silver or silver-plated mount with hinged lid points strongly to a claret jug function (wine service).

• Surface decoration:

  • Wheel engraving: matte, precise cuts; subjects include foliage, vines, armorials, and game birds; prevalent 1860–1900.
  • Acid etching: more uniform, sometimes with frosted grounds and repeating motifs from c. 1870s onward.
  • Enamel painting (often called “Mary Gregory” style): white or polychrome figures and foliage on colored glass, especially Bohemian late 19th century.
  • Gilding: gilt highlights and bands; wear typically shows on high points and rims.
  • Cut-to-clear (flashed overlay cut back): commonly Bohemian; ruby or green over clear.

• Marks and numbers:

  • British registration lozenge (diamond-shaped): used 1842–1883; codes indicate date of design registration.
  • “Rd No.” marks: 1884 onward in Britain, usually acid-etched or stamped.
  • Silver hallmarks on mounts (for claret jugs):
    • Lion passant (sterling standard), leopard’s head (London), anchor (Birmingham), crown (Sheffield pre-1975), thistle (Edinburgh), harp (Dublin), etc.
    • Date letter corresponding to assay year.
    • Maker’s mark (initials) for firms such as Hukin & Heath, James Dixon & Sons, Elkington & Co., Walker & Hall.
  • Continental marks: Bohemian and French glass often unmarked; Moser sometimes with gilt script or acid stamp on later pieces.

When multiple clues align—for example, uranium body glass with wheel engraving and a Birmingham silver mount dated 1891—you can assign a confident date range and probable origin.

Design Variants You Might Encounter

A “Corey Jug” label often hides one of several well-known Victorian forms. Recognizing the variant helps narrow maker and value.

• Silver-mounted claret jugs:

  • Body forms: ovoid, tapered, or faceted; sometimes with star-cut bases.
  • Mounts: hinged lids, applied spouts, and cast handles in silver or silver plate. English examples frequently assayed in Birmingham or London.
  • Decoration: wheel-engraved vines, armorials; cut panels; sometimes cameo glass on the highest end.
  • Makers: Glass bodies from Stourbridge (Thomas Webb, Stevens & Williams) or Manchester cut shops; mounts by leading silversmiths.

• Engraved or etched water jugs:

  • Heavier bodies with wide mouths; ice lips appear after mid-century.
  • Engraved fruiting vines, fern fronds, or Aesthetic Movement motifs c. 1875–1900.
  • Often British or American; American EAPG examples may be pressed with bold patterns.

• Mary Gregory-style and Bohemian display jugs:

  • Colored grounds (emerald, cobalt, cranberry) with white enamel figures, foliage, and gilt lines.
  • Typically last quarter of the 19th century; numerous later reproductions exist.

• Cut-to-clear and flashed overlay jugs:

  • Ruby-flashed or green overlay cut back to clear in panels, stars, and cartouches.
  • Origin usually Bohemia; Moser and other quality houses used refined gilding and enamel accents.

• Opaline and opaque glass ewers:

  • French opaline in white, turquoise, and apple green; gilded bands and neoclassical motifs.
  • English opaline generally later and less common, sometimes with transfer decoration.

• Specialty and novelty jugs:

  • Threaded or trailed decoration, prunts, or applied fruits and leaves; North Bohemian workshops produced many such pieces c. 1860–1890.

The profile of the foot, the balance of handle to body, and the finesse of cutting or engraving are often more telling than color alone.

Market and Value Factors

Values vary widely with quality, maker, and condition. Appraisers weigh several intertwined factors:

• Attribution and marks:

  • A silver-mounted claret jug with clear assay marks and a desirable maker’s stamp generally outperforms an unmarked equivalent.
  • A British registration lozenge or Rd number can substantively support dating and value.

• Craftsmanship and design complexity:

  • Deep wheel engraving, crisp cutting, cameo work, and sophisticated mounts command higher prices.
  • Simple pressed patterns or basic etched bands are more modest.

• Color and material:

  • Cranberry and uranium attract collectors; rarer hues (intense cobalt, apple green opaline) can lift value.
  • Glass clarity and brilliance matter; grayness or seediness can downgrade appeal unless typical of the period’s technique.

• Condition:

  • Chips to rims, bases, and stoppers; cracks (including hairlines); cloudiness (“sick” glass); and replacement mounts reduce value substantially.
  • Wear should be commensurate with age—gilt loss on high points is acceptable; heavy pattern loss suggests harsh cleaning.

• Completeness:

  • Original stoppers on claret jugs without metal mounts; well-fitting lids on mounted examples; correct screws and collars in silver mounts.

• Scale and presence:

  • Tall, elegant profiles with good proportions sell better than squat or awkward examples.

Indicative price bands (highly general and market-dependent):

• Pressed/EAPG water jugs with typical wear: modest collector level.
• British engraved crystal water jugs: moderate range, higher if with armorials or exceptional engraving.
• Silver-mounted English claret jugs with attractive engraving: mid to upper hundreds; more with sought-after silversmiths or exceptional glass.
• Bohemian enameled “Mary Gregory” jugs: lower to mid hundreds; fine quality or Moser-attributed pieces higher.
• True cameo glass claret jugs from top Stourbridge makers: premium tier, often several thousand and up.

Always calibrate expectations with recent regional auction results; private treaty sales may differ.

Authentication, Pitfalls, and Red Flags

• Reproductions and later pieces:

  • 20th-century and contemporary Bohemian and Asian workshops produce Mary Gregory-style jugs and cut overlay forms. Look for overly bright, opaque whites in enamel, minimal age wear, and machine-uniform grinding.
  • “Applied patina” or artificial wear tends to be inconsistent—check beneath rims, under handles, and on the foot ring for congruence.

• Misassembled claret jugs:

  • Mounts swapped onto later or unmatched bodies are not uncommon. Check the fit of collars, screw holes, and any compression marks on the glass beneath mounts.

• Acid-bloom and clouding:

  • Interior cloudiness from decanted liquids can be permanent. Light haze may respond to professional cleaning; etched “sick” glass usually will not.

• Misleading color cues:

  • Not all yellow-green glass is uranium. Use a UV torch to confirm fluorescence.

• Over-restoration:

  • Polished-out chips on rims and bases can change profile and reduce value; inspect symmetry and polish quality with raking light.

If the piece carries the “Corey Jug” label through family lore, retain that note as provenance but rely on the physical evidence for cataloguing.

Care, Display, and Preservation

• Handling: Always support the body; never lift a jug by its handle alone—especially with applied handles or metal mounts.
• Cleaning: Wash by hand in lukewarm water with mild soap. Avoid dishwashers, drastic temperature changes, and soaking mounted jugs.
• Silver mounts: Use a gentle, non-abrasive polish; protect the glass with masking during polishing. Do not over-polish gilt or plated parts.
• Storage: Keep out of direct sunlight (to protect enamels and prevent heat stress). Use padded shelves and avoid stacking stoppers in the necks without support.
• Display: UV from daylight can affect certain glasses and enamels; glass exhibits benefit from stable humidity and temperature.

A Practical Checklist for Appraisers and Collectors

• Form and function
  • Is it a claret jug (narrow neck, mount) or a water/display jug?
• Construction
  • Hand-blown vs pressed; pontil type; mold seams present?
• Decoration
  • Wheel engraving, acid etching, enamel (Mary Gregory style), gilding, cutting, cameo?
• Color and composition
  • Cranberry, uranium (UV test), Bristol blue, opaline, overlay?
• Mounts and marks
  • Silver/plated mount present? British hallmarks (city, standard, date letter, maker)? “Rd No.” or registration lozenge?
• Condition
  • Chips, cracks, clouding, ground-down repairs, replaced stoppers or mounts?
• Attribution clues
  • Stourbridge characteristics, Bohemian cut-to-clear, French opaline features, American EAPG patterns?
• Provenance and completeness
  • Original stopper or lid; documented family history; consistent wear patterns?

Document findings with clear photos of base, handle joins, decoration, and any marks before assigning date, origin, and value.

FAQ

Q: Is “Corey Jug” the name of a specific Victorian maker? A: No. The term is not a recognized maker or standard form name. It’s often a dealer, auction, or provenance label applied to an unidentified Victorian glass jug. Identify the piece by its construction, decoration, and marks.

Q: How can I tell if a claret jug’s mount is sterling silver? A: Look for British assay marks on the mount—typically the lion passant for sterling, a city mark (e.g., anchor for Birmingham), a date letter, and a maker’s initials. Silver plate may simply bear EPNS or retailer marks without full assay stamps.

Q: What’s the difference between wheel engraving and acid etching on Victorian glass? A: Wheel engraving creates matte, hand-cut lines with subtle depth variation and often tiny tool marks. Acid etching tends to be more uniform and can produce frosted backgrounds with repeating or transfer-derived motifs.

Q: Does yellow-green glass always mean uranium? A: No. While uranium glass fluoresces bright green under UV light, some non-uranium formulas are visually similar but do not fluoresce. A UV torch is a quick, non-destructive test.

Q: Are Mary Gregory-style jugs always Bohemian? A: The style is strongly associated with late 19th-century Bohemian workshops, but similar white enamel figure decoration was adopted elsewhere and reproduced extensively in the 20th century. Assess quality, glass type, and wear to avoid misattribution.

By approaching a “Corey Jug” as a Victorian glass jug awaiting precise identification, you can move past the informal label and build a defensible appraisal grounded in form, technique, marks, and condition.