Marvin Bailey Two Toned Face Jug, Signed

Two-toned, face jug, Signed. 11 x 8 inches.

One of the most prolific of contemporary southern potters, Lancaster SC native Marvin Bailey developed a fondness for pottery thanks to his father's love of collecting art pottery. Occasionally he would bring home a piece of North Carolina pottery and Marvin caught the bug. In 2001 Marvin, a self taught potter, began making vases and flower pots and then face jugs. He began attending pottery festivals in the Carolinas and Georgia and saw his business take off once he branched out into doing folk art.

Face jugs, a staple of popular folk craft, are some of the most iconic works in the history of American folk art. While nearly synonymous with Americana and American folk art traditions, their origins were co-opted from an amalgam of disparate cultural influences. The oldest most likely stems from the traditional African practice of creating expressive jugs to serve as headstones. Brought to America by the cruel act of slavery, the tradition found a prevalence in throughout the Southeast that thrives to this day. Similarly, International trade from China imported the highly sought after art of red ceramic glazes. One of the most recognizable and prized forms of face jugs are the vibrant Red Devils faces. In the south these embellished pots were used to buy & store liquor; the ominous features would scare children so they would not be tempted to try the contents. England too has a cultural form of figurative pottery know as Toby Jugs. Toby Jugs typically feature archetypal characters or famous men.