Meet the "Real Collectors" :

Leonard & Jean Russell. Early English Pottery Dealers & Toby Jug Specialists.

In 1948 Leonard & Jean Russell purchased their first Staffordshire items, a pair of Victorian "Will Watch" figures but they were facing the same direction and not opposite as a true pair should be. Undeterred they placed them on their Mothers mantle piece taking comedy remarks from family members at the way the figures both listed to the same side! But who was laughing at who when the said purchased for only 7/6d ( Seven shillings & sixpence) (37p) were sold to a Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands dealer for 15/- ( Fifteen shillings) (75p). Jean recalls how they were wrapped in newspaper and placed in one of the numerous wooden tea chests the dealer had in his shop.

Married in 1950 in Lewes, East Sussex they collected everything. Jean quotes "Bits and Bobs" "and an oak cupboard purchased for £4.00 was sold for £7.00 after Len took the whole thing apart and then put it back together again"

Late in the 1960's (about 1968) their first toby jug was purchased in an antique shop ran by a Mrs.Curtis in Cuckfield, Sussex, they paid £28.00 and so the collecting of toby jugs began.

In July 1981 when the black & white press photo below was taken a career as an antique dealer was about to materialize. Long gone are these wonderful toby jugs but Len & Jean stayed in business as Early English Pottery specialists for many years leaving their last Olympia Fine Arts Fair, London in 1998. They have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and we wish them many more years of good health and happiness together.

Here Leonard shows some of his collection and the first toby purchased is seen in the bottom left hand corner, an enamel decorated jug being shown on the right in full colour. This was one of the first tobies we ever purchased from them in about 1982.

For the eagle eyed connoisseur who notices "The Welshman " and "The Roman Nose" seated on the shelves, they were sold before we had the pleasure of meeting them both.

If you are now the owner of the enamel well coloured toby you will now know some of its old history and of the "Real Collectors" who have cherished him over the years . Copyright © 2011

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Stephen M.Mullins -Businessman/ Collector/ Writer/ Museum founder.

Steve Mullins has been the most dedicated collector that I have ever known, his Museum in Chicago now holds over 7500 jugs of which perhaps 300+ are antique tobies. A couple of years ago he finishes a massive second book on Royal Doulton but my earlier first knowledge of him was when he purchased his antique toby section. He exhausted every model in most colours possible and it was an exciting time introducing him to different factories and more unusual models. He purchased vigorously and the boxes stacked up waiting to be shipped!!!

Beginning in 1946 he was a collector of small size Royal Doulton character jugs and by 1975 had accumulated all, he then acquired the larger size, then miniatures and tiniest plus Royal Doulton toby jugs.Having exhausted Royal Doulton his passion turned to 18th century tobies and that is were we came in. In Steve's words it was " Over to you guys". From that moment he amassed enough ordinary "traditional " models for two lifetimes, plus most of the derivatives there of Gin Women, Drunken Sal, Shield, Thin men, Squires, Midshipmen, the list goes on and on. He moved into the study of 20th century non Doulton, upon which the first book is based. The introduction first pages of his book "Toby & Character Jugs of the 20th Century" covers his antique toby jugs but the rest of the book includes over 1600 photos depicting more than 4,000 toby and character jugs from over 175 different 20th Century potters.

From his first collecting years from the age of 13 he has spent over 60 years collecting and along the way had some great friends one of which was Vic Schuler, the kindness Steve showed to Vic in his later life was as if he was his extended family. Steve's day job is the "Real Estates" business, his wife Carole has supported him through his years of collecting and he is now proud that he has his own Museum dedicated to his hobby passion that just grew & grew!!!!

His museum details can be found at www.tobyjugmuseum.com.

Inside the gift of his book he sent us through "Toby and Character Jugs of the 20th Century and their Makers" was written: For Diane and Ray who first made me aware of 20thc Tobies with thanks and good friendship Steve Mullins 25.9.99

Thanks Steve for your input on this page, a small section of his museum cabinets are shown below. Copyright © 2011

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Vic Schuler (1918-2002) Toby Jug Collector/Dealer/ Writer. For most collectors the name of Vic Schuler sends out powerful memories of the man inspired to write about "British Toby Jugs". Wearing a tri-corn hat and sitting at a stand in the Portobello Road Market, a jovial tourist attraction of the 1980's/90's and the first few years of the 00's was when we had the pleasure to have known him. Our first meeting was at an auction house in London After chatting for a while he told us about his first book that was at the editing stage and keen to obtain rare model photographs he asked if we could provided some which we did on the understanding that courtesies were given. I think Vic was more interested in toby jugs more than the book because notes on scraps of paper along with all our details were haphazardly kept in an old folder and later left to the editing team to sort out. (We will list our photographs with correct inscriptions at a later time). From those early days Vic became a great friend visiting us at most of our Olympia London & NEC Birmingham shows.

About the man- Vic was a true gentleman - he regularly liked to visit my then home town of Birmingham to scour the Rag Market "Bric a Brac" fair for toby finds about every six weeks or so. A lunch date bonded and he came back for something light to eat whilst we talked toby jugs. In the winter months it would be hot soup and sandwiches and any "left overs" were wrapped to open on the bus journey making his way back to London......treasured memories. He always looked to buy curiosities (as well as his toby jugs) and one afternoon a small bone skeleton was produced from his bag which my Great Dane dog "Toby" decided to dismantle. With the quickness of hand Vic had it repacked in a moment and out of harms way, along with that famous tri-corn hat which Toby liked to smell.

Our last meeting was for dinner in the early part of 2002, the snow was on the ground and it was an icy night, Steve Mullins had come to stay with him for a couple of nights and we all enjoyed dinner together at a local Pub in Isleworth..... Just a couple of months later Vic passed away.

His books have now become collectors trusted friends and they are referred to constantly and its nice to think we helped that nice friendly character share with collectors around the world our passion. Copyright © 2011

Collecting British Toby Jugs Vol. 1-3 by Vic Schuler. Vic's photograph with thanks to: The quarterly journal of the Kensington & Chelsea commerce. Vol 3. No.4 Cover photo : Portobello Market Personality by Julia Davey photographs.1987

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J.Turner Moore. Collector.

During the early 1980's a parcel of information was purchased from a deceased estate. In the collection was this photo below with an accompanying letter dated from November 5th 1937. The toby jug collection was formed from the early period wares through to Victorian toby jugs and condiments. The archive letter has been signed by J.Turner Moore and was addressed to a Mr.George Burton. Blackpool. England.

Copyright © 2011 : All rights reserved Ray and Diane Ginns www.antiquetobyjugs.com