Cylindrical Stoneware Jar in Light Beige and Brown

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

51535

Title

Cylindrical lidded stoneware jar in light beige and brown. Printed in black is 'Cairns & Co, Newhaven, 6lb, 1/2'

Description

Cylindrical lidded stoneware jar in light beige and brown. Printed in black is 'Cairns & Co, Newhaven, 6lb, 1/2'

Date

1877

Location

Museums Collection Centre

Copyright

The City of Edinburgh Council Museums and Galleries

This stoneware jar was made to store butter. It belonged to the grocers, wine and spirit merchant Cairns & Co. and was made by A W Buchan & Co. Founded in Portobello in 1867, for much of its history the Buchan’s Pottery mainly produced stoneware items for the home as well as for retail businesses and industry. The Pottery made huge quantities of stoneware bottles, jars, flagons and other vessels for storing food and drink – from jam jars to bread crocks, and ginger beer bottles to whisky flagons.

Stoneware was strong and durable, and its glazed surface made it easy to clean. Jars and flagons could be marked with a retailers name, particularly for anything which was going to be filled and re-used. Such was the case for this butter jar. Cairns & Co., started trading around 1878 at 11 Maitland Street, which is now part of Newhaven Main Street. Buchan’s pottery ceased production in Portobello on 30 June 1972, moving to Crieff in Perthshire.

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Related subjects

Places > Edinburgh areas > Newhaven

Places > Edinburgh areas > Portobello

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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Cylindrical stoneware jar in light beige and brown