Character Jugs (1955)

Lambeth, London .



C/U of an opened book which features an illustration of Long John Silver of Treasure Island. Pages are turned to show another illustration. L/S showing artists Max Henk sitting at a desk looking through the book. He is looking for inspiration for his pottery interpretation of the pirate character. C/U of his work taking shape. He is making a mould for a character jug - or Toby Jug. Various shots of him grabbing pieces of clay and moulding them onto his artist's impression. He works very quickly. Narrator recounts the history of Toby Jugs over shots of the jug taking shape. Staffordshire is mentioned as the home of this tradition.



L/S of a woman in a pottery workshop. This is claimed to be in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent (Stoke on Trent) where casts are made from the original clay model. See note on record b - actually shot in Lambeth. The woman is joining together Long John Silver's head and his parrot which are made in separate moulds. She checks the piece before it is sent to the kiln.



L/S of two women working side by side at a bench. Over the shoulder shot shows one of the women painting the jugs with ceramic pigment particularly suitable for unglazed painting. C/Us of the women at work. Shelf behind them is stacked with completed Toby Jugs and statuettes. High angle shots of the jugs being dipped into large vats of glaze. Narrator explains how the chemical formula of the glaze is a product of scientific development, but just as valuable is "the human touch" such as the use of the craftsman's finger to ensure an even glaze. The jugs are collected and stacked up prior to being loaded into the kiln. Various shots of man loading the kiln.



Kiln door is opened and jugs are wheeled out. Various shots of finished Toby Jugs including Long John Silver and various other characters. Narrator observes how these jugs are earning export dollars for Britain. Ends by saying "Beside being a triumph of craftsmanship, Doulton jugs like these illustrate and ancient British characteristic - a droll but useful sense of humour."



Note: artist featured may actually be Mac Henk rather than Max Henk - anomalies in paperwork. Other workers featured are Harold Ferns, Jane Gregory, Mildred Birks (sp?)



There is a note on the Cameraman's Dope Sheet which reads as follows: "Tho the story was shot at Lambeth - say the location is Burslem, Stoke on Trent."
FILM ID:29.1

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