Condition: This is a 149 year-old survivor from England that dates to the creation of Machell Smith & Co. On December 30, 1876 (see photo of the newspaper notice). This wine and spirits jug is in Very Good Condition, with no structural cracks or breaks. It has two (2) chips on the jug lip. The stoneware plug is missing. There is a faint hairline crack on the shoulder. The crack does not compromise the integrity of the jug, and it was probably a product of the kiln glazing process. The bottom is unglazed and reflects years of dirt and stains, with no cracks. The marks for the merchant, Machell Smith & Co. Edmunds”, and the pottery company, “Doulton & Co. Lambeth, London” (later became, “Royal Doulton), are impressed into the jug and very clear. The number “2” for two gallons is impressed on the neck as well. We cannot find another example of this Doulton & Co. Jug, with the spirit and wine merchants, Machell Smith & Co. Weight: 12.35 pounds. Capacity: Marked 2 (gallons). Width: 8.5 inches. Base Diameter: 8.5 inches. Jug Mouth: 1.25 inches. This jug is marked with the name of the company that made it: The English company Doulton & Co. (later known as Royal Doulton), specifically from their Lambeth factory in London. The mark on the jug, “LAMBETH LONDON, ” refers to the location of the Doulton factory where the stoneware was produced. In turn, Frederic Macbell Smith, under the new firm name of Machell Smith & Co. Took sole ownership of the prior business on the 30th. Day of December, 1876. He then put in orders in 1877 for company jugs marked Machell Smith & Co, Wine & Spirit Merchants, Bury St. Edmunds” with the additional makers mark of “Doulton & Co. THE LONDON GAZETTE, JANUARY 5, 1877. Notice is hereby given, that the Partnership lately subsisting between Thomas Jervoise Huddleston (in his individual capacity, and as the sole acting executor of the Jate Peter Huddleston), and Edward Greene, and Frederic Machell Smith, in the business of Wine and Spirit Merchants, under the firm of Huddleston, Greene, and Co. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, was this day dissolved by mutual consent. And that the said Wine and Spirit business intended to be henceforward carried on by the said Frederic Machell Smith alone, under the firm of Machell Smith and Co. As witness our hands this 30th day of December, 1876. Later known as Royal Doulton, began in Lambeth, London, in 1815 as Doulton & Watts. Initially focused on utilitarian ceramics like drainpipes and water filters, the company, under Henry Doulton’s leadership, expanded into decorative arts, including jugs, vases, and tiles, particularly during the Victorian era. The Lambeth factory, known for its unique architectural style and artistic collaborations, became a hub for innovative ceramic production. In 1901, the company received the Royal Warrant and became Royal Doulton. Key aspects of the Lambeth factory’s history. Doulton & Watts, founded by John Doulton, Martha Jones, and John Watts, initially produced utilitarian stoneware like drainpipes and water filters. Henry Doulton, John Doulton’s son, joined the company and spurred its move into decorative ceramics. He acquired a nearby factory to expand production and began creating vases, decorative tiles, and other ornamental items.