A lovely piece of Bunyaniana; large format and beautifully executed and preserved. 

The present 6.5 inch tall water or milk pitcher is an expertly piece of mid-19th century transferware celebrating John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. 

Transferware involved a process similar to printing in a book with a copper plate, either directly onto the ceramic or onto a very thin piece of rice paper. This would than be glazed and baked. In better examples, before glazing the print would be painted by hand, as this example.

My favorite detail on this piece is that the geometric pattern around the interior and exterior of the rim and repeated on the handle is a bookbinding dentil pattern. This is a beautifully executed, consistent piece of design.

Both sides bear the same transfer, "Christian and Evangelist," with only very slight variations in the hand painting process.

Exceptionally preserved with only the usual [and desired] micro-craquelure.