Debossed, "John Smith Grocer General Dealer and Produce Buyer Guelph CW". 14.5 x 8.5" (diam). Features a rare, incised "sgraffito" decoration. Several very small flakes/chips off of the lower rim of the base. A few small tight hairlines exist underneath the base with two of them traveling up the left side by approximately an inch. Several small very tight spidering hairlines that don't appear to go beyond the glaze in the lower quarter left side likely occurred during the firing process. What appears in the photos to be a crack on the left side of the handle an inch or so from the mouth of the jug is merely an impression in the clay. John Smith's business was very short lived (in operation from late 1851 until the fall of 1852) and as such, pieces of pottery bearing his name are extremely scarce. Following his departure from the grocery business, he became the Reeve of Guelph (1855) and later when Guelph was incorporated (1856), he became the first Mayor. This jug is pictured on page 65 of "Jugs & Crocks of the Guelph Merchants" by Joyce Blyth. CODE:POT