Rare No.10 Antique French Archers Mug

These archer mugs or cups are both highly sought after and very hard to find, so I was delighted to find this 19th Century example on a recent sourcing trip in France.

Hand sponged and hand stencilled with the number 10 across its front, and an attractive blue and white design, this is also an unusual shape to come across.

Known as archers mugs or pots from their use by the military, they were also pieces used at home. Their simple stripes and sponged patterns still endures as an attractive and appealing piece of antique pottery. The numbers across the front of them related to the number of the worker who produced them.

As honest, utilitarian pieces, it is of no surprise that they have imperfections from the time of their production, with some wayward sponge marks on this example, and also have wear from their daily use in the home. This also means that every cup is unique.

This example, for example, has a chip to the base rim, plus two chips to the inside of the top rim of the cup. However, there are no cracks and it is a very stable and clean piece of antique pottery.

Height, 14cm; Diameter, 8cm