Can I use these jugs for serving food?

Most pieces function adequately for dry storage or display rather than daily culinary use, particularly fragile soft-paste porcelain and porous earthenware. Older glazes can also contain trace minerals. Examine the interior for cracks or crazing that might absorb liquids before deciding to pour beverages from them at a modern table.

How do I distinguish porcelain from earthenware?

Porcelain is vitrified, dense, and typically rings when tapped gently, often showing translucency if held up to a strong light source. Earthenware and stoneware remain opaque and heavier in the hand. Tin-glazed earthenware also reveals a coarse red or buff clay body if a small chip occurs on the base or rim.

What is the difference between Delftware and faience?

Both terms describe tin-glazed earthenware, but Delftware specifically refers to wares made in the Netherlands, particularly around Delft. Faience is the broader continental European term used for French and Italian tin-glazed ceramics. Both categories share the characteristic white enamel ground painted with cobalt blue or multi-coloured mineral pigments.