‘The Quince and The Quail‘ Harvest Jug

‘The Quince and The Quail’ Harvest Jug From the Autumn '26 collection of Suffolk Harvest Jugs for The Merchant’s Table by artist Annabel Pearl. The illuminated Q on this harvest jug is inspired by the illuminated manuscripts of Lindisfarne and stands for both Quince and Quail. The quince is the ‘golden apple’ of the myth of Hercules as well as the symbol of Aphrodite. Quince fruit arrived in Suffolk orchards in the 1600s, journeying from the Hyrcanian Forests on the edge of the Caspian Sea. King Edward planted a quince tree at the Tower of London in 1275 and this miraculous fruit, was deemed too precious to be eaten by anyone but royalty for several hundred years. Quince has always flourished in Suffolk’s long warm summers and Suffolk marmalade of the 16th and 17th centuries was made exclusively of quince, and quince fruit regained popularity after Edward Lear’s nonsense poem The Owl and the Pussycat was published in 1870. The plump golden quail hides in the shade of the quince tree, a shy creature the quail, originally from China, loves gathering in groups under trees and meadows of Suffolk. Quails for this reason symbolise friendship, love and support. Much depicted by Medieval artists in illuminated manuscripts depicting The Miracle of the Quail in the Desert, this gentle bird adorns the jug and brings love, friendship and support into your home. Approximate Dimensions: Height 27.5cm, Diameter 23cm Part of the Autumn '26 collection of Suffolk Harvest Jugs by Annabel Pearl. Harvest jugs started to be made in the early eighteenth century as vessels to serve ale or cider in at the harvest celebrations, and these simple terracotta and slipware jugs bring a feeling of everyday joyful celebration into a home. As harvest jugs grew in popularity and became highly desirable their status grew. Soon they were being commissioned by aristocrats, farmers, and landowners to commemorate special occasions and became prized possessions in England and America. These handcrafted keepsakes rarely left the families they were made for and are now highly collectible as much for their beauty as for their importance as artefacts of social history. The harvest jugs Annabel made for The Merchant’s Table all honour both the imagery and ceramic techniques used by the Master Craftsmen family: George, Robert and Edwin Beer Fishley whose beautiful work can be found in The Fitzwilliam Museum. The decorative vitality of the Fishley harvest jugs is charming and soulful, and their rotund bellies abundantly express sentiments of love, joy and friendship. The Harvest Jug will be available for collection or delivery from the 12th October.