He looks like he knows exactly who drank the communion wine… and he’s not naming names.
Dating to approximately the 1920s, this wonderfully expressive antique figural pitcher depicts a robed friar or monk with a mischievous sideways grin, wonderfully sculpted bare feet and hands, and enough personality to make you wonder what he’s been getting up to after evening prayers.
The pitcher is attributed to renowned German porcelain maker Schafer & Vater of Rudolstadt, a company famous in the early 20th century for whimsical, comical and sometimes wonderfully strange character ceramics. Their novelty pieces included pitchers, jugs, creamers, bottles and figurines, many of which were exported to the United States.
This particular friar is finished in earthy brown and cream glazes with reddish-brown accents, a beautifully molded expressive face, and a hood cleverly forming the opening and pouring lip of the pitcher. The glossy hand-painted finish gives every wrinkle, raised eyebrow and suspicious little smirk plenty of character.
At roughly 100 years old, this is more than quirky decor - it’s a surviving piece of early 20th-century German novelty porcelain.
Perfect for collectors of antique German porcelain, Toby and character jugs, unusual barware, religious oddities, monk memorabilia, or anyone whose decorating style can best be described as “Why is there a suspicious friar staring at me from the shelf?”
A little old. A little odd. A Gay Ol’ Time.
He looks like he knows exactly who drank the communion wine… and he’s not naming names.
Dating to approximately the 1920s, this wonderfully expressive antique figural pitcher depicts a robed friar or monk with a mischievous sideways grin, wonderfully sculpted bare feet and hands, and enough personality to make you wonder what he’s been getting up to after evening prayers.
The pitcher is attributed to renowned German porcelain maker Schafer & Vater of Rudolstadt, a company famous in the early 20th century for whimsical, comical and sometimes wonderfully strange character ceramics. Their novelty pieces included pitchers, jugs, creamers, bottles and figurines, many of which were exported to the United States.
This particular friar is finished in earthy brown and cream glazes with reddish-brown accents, a beautifully molded expressive face, and a hood cleverly forming the opening and pouring lip of the pitcher. The glossy hand-painted finish gives every wrinkle, raised eyebrow and suspicious little smirk plenty of character.
At roughly 100 years old, this is more than quirky decor - it’s a surviving piece of early 20th-century German novelty porcelain.
Perfect for collectors of antique German porcelain, Toby and character jugs, unusual barware, religious oddities, monk memorabilia, or anyone whose decorating style can best be described as “Why is there a suspicious friar staring at me from the shelf?”
A little old. A little odd. A Gay Ol’ Time.
