puzzle mug or trick mug, Robert Bruce Horsfall; Rookwood Pottery

Artwork Overview

Robert Bruce Horsfall; Rookwood Pottery, puzzle mug or trick mug
Robert Bruce Horsfall; Rookwood Pottery, puzzle mug or trick mug
Robert Bruce Horsfall , Rookwood Pottery
puzzle mug or trick mug
1894
Robert Bruce Horsfall, decorator
1869–1948
Rookwood Pottery, manufacturer
active 1880–1967
puzzle mug or trick mug, 1894
Where object was made: United States
Material/technique: earthenware
Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 130 x 97 x 143 mm
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 5 1/8 x 3 13/16 x 5 5/8 in
Credit line: William Bridges Thayer Memorial
Accession number: 1928.3372
Not on display
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Archive Label 2003:
Horsfall was a decorator at Rookwood from 1893 to 1895. During this time there was an interest in painting portraits, or portrait-types, and animals on the pottery. Sometimes these were big-eyed dogs, sweet-faced children or native Americans in traditional costume. This cup is decorated with an elderly black man who wears his spectacles on his head and a look of surprise on his face. This expression may reflect the reaction of a person who tried to drink from the cup, and discovered that the beverage has dribbled through the holes in the rim and onto his chin.