Bidspirit auction | Wm. Gross & Bro Fords

Wm. Gross & Bro Fords NJ Advertising Stoneware Jug - This small stoneware advertising jug was produced for the firm of Wm. Gross and Brother, located in Fords, New Jersey. The vessel features a classic cylindrical form with a sloping shoulder, a narrow neck, and a single applied strap handle. The exterior is finished in a light buff salt glaze. The front of the jug is decorated with a two-line cobalt blue stenciled inscription which reads WM. GROSS and BRO. / FORDS, N. J. Fords is a section of Woodbridge Township, an area historically significant for its high-quality clay deposits and extensive stoneware production. Such jugs were typically utilized by wholesale liquor dealers for the storage and transport of spirits during the late 19th or early 20th century. The unglazed base displays a small central kiln mark and typical shelf wear.