Slop jar, 12 x 9.5 inches. Impressed maker's mark for Thomas Furnival & Sons. This busy Aesthetic pattern consists of a multitude of cartouches and motifs. One side features a thorny branch of blackberries and grasses with seeds and berries underneath two overlapping cartouches. The rectangular cartouche depicts three swallows flying low over water with reeds and the circular cartouche depicts a songbird perched on a leafy branch. The other side of the slop jar features another thorny branch of blackberries, but with a branch of cherry blossoms. The two overlapping cartouches are rectangular and circular and depict a flock of sheep at water's edge and two songbirds perched on a leafy branch respectively. The remainder of the slop jar is decorated with small motifs consisting of sprigs of foliage including flowers, seeded grasses, and berries paired with at least one cartouche featuring butterflies and flowers. The lid features three separate elements: a circular cartouche with flowers superimposed over seeded grasses and a branch with berries; a leafy sprig with berries paired with a circular cartouche depicting a butterfly; and what looks like a branch of azaleas with two overlapping cartouches featuring a church and a tugboat on top. The handle has an arabesque-type pattern printed on it.

Following involvement in previous partnerships, from 1851 Jacob and Thomas Furnival became partners at J & T Furnival. As well as earthenware manufacturers, they were in business as Grinders of Potters’ Materials at Etruria Vale, in the borough of Hanley. In 1859 Jacob Furnival, Thomas Furnival, and Francis Joseph Emery applied for a patent for “Improvements in apparatus for supporting articles of china and earthenware in kilns and ovens.” In May 1864 the partnership between Jacob and Thomas Furnival was dissolved and the business was continued by Thomas Furnival. Around 1871, Thomas Furnival the younger joined the business which became Thomas Furnival and Son. In 1876, another son, Samuel Bourne Furnival joined the business, which became Thomas Furnival and Sons. Around 1883 the company found itself in financial difficulty with liabilities of £60,000 (around £5 million in 2020 terms). In 1884 there was a notice of “Liquidation by Agreement” which allowed the company to trade out of its difficulties. Thomas Furnival Sr. retired in 1890 and the business was continued by his sons Thomas, Samuel, and Arthur. The style of the business became Furnivals.