Early 18th Century German Westerwald Salt-Glazed Stoneware Jug with Royal “GR” Cipher MedallionAn early 18th-century German Westerwald salt-glazed stoneware jug decorated with cobalt blue foliate ornament surrounding an applied royal cipher medallion bearing the initials “GR” (Georgius Rex) beneath a crown.The vessel is formed from high-fired grey stoneware clay and displays a bulbous ovoid body rising to a tall cylindrical neck with dense horizontal reeding finished in a manganese-brown wash. The surface is covered in a traditional salt glaze, producing the characteristic subtly textured “orange-peel” surface associated with Westerwald production of the period.Centrally positioned on the body is a moulded circular medallion containing the crowned GR royal monogram, framed within a radiating sunburst border. The medallion is flanked by hand-incised scrolling foliage enriched with cobalt blue oxide, a decorative scheme typical of Westerwald stoneware produced for the British...