How do I clean antique stoneware?

Warm water and a soft brush will remove most surface dirt. Don't soak porous unglazed bases, as moisture can become trapped in the clay body.

I found a large grey jug in my garden with a blue pattern on the front and I am wondering if it is safe to use for storing drinking water?

Antique stoneware is dense and non-porous. This historically made it well-suited for storing liquids. The hard salt glaze resists most acids and bacteria. Nineteenth-century potteries sometimes used lead in their glazes or colourants. High firing temperatures stabilise these compounds, but acidic liquids can still cause leaching over time. Most buyers use them as decorative items or dry storage rather than risking modern food safety standards.

What do the stamped numbers mean?

Stamped numbers on the shoulder or base typically indicate the vessel capacity in gallons. You'll often see single digits like two or four on large storage jars. Sometimes a number refers to a specific shape or size code in a commercial pottery catalogue.

My grandmother left me a very heavy brown pot with a tap hole at the bottom, and I would like to know what this kind of vessel was originally used to hold.

Large pots with a hole near the base are called barrels or cisterns. A wooden spigot was tapped into the hole to draw off the liquid inside. These were standard fixtures in grocers and domestic pantries. They held vinegar, ale, or chemicals in industrial settings. The thick clay walls helped keep the contents cool and stable.

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Victorian Stoneware

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Antique stoneware comprises dense, non-porous ceramic vessels fired at high temperatures, historically made to store liquids, preserve foods, and withstand the rigours of everyday domestic or industrial use.