Ceramic face jugs such as this one, created by Alberg Hodges, have a deep history in the American South. This style originated in the mid-18000s from African-American enslaved people who worked as potters in South Carolina, where these judges are speculated to have religious or burial significance, or more simply a creative expression of their identity under unfathomable circumstances. By the late 1800s the style became popular with white Southern potters as they expanded beyond its area of origin, the Edgefield District. More than a century later, they are a staple of southern folk antiquity. 

Albert Hodge offers his own unique craftsmanship on these historic vessels by using a right-handed potter’s wheel, despite being a left-handed artist, forcing him to pull the clay from inside the pot as opposed to the outside. In the decades of his work, he has created an impressive collection out of his backyard workshop in North Carolina, averaging about twenty vessels a week. Two of his more recent works are featured in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 
 
These jugs are not only functional and decorative but also embody a living connection to Southern history, craft, and storytelling—perfect for collectors of folk art or anyone drawn to objects with depth, character, and cultural significance

Era 

1990s

Materials

Ceramic

Dimensions

5.5 inches x 9 inches

Condition

Very good condition.