Puzzle Jugs

1896

Water or puzzle jugs were made in England as early as the seventeenth century, and at the beginning of the present century were still being produced. They are now seen only in museums or private collections.

These tantalizing vessels, though not always equally complex, have generally some features in common. In spite of their many spouts, a perforated neck usually prevented the abstraction of their contents in the ordinary way. But a secret passage for the liquor up the hollow handle and through one spout or nozzle afforded the means of sucking the contents. Of course all other spouts and a small concealed hole under the top of the handle had to be closed by the fingers judiciously employed during the imbibing process.

The inscriptions found on some of these puzzle jugs usually relate to the difficulty of getting at their contents; the following is an example, written in "scratch blue," on a salt-glazed jug: "From Mother Earth I claim my birth, I'm made a joke for man; But now I'm here, filled with good cheer, Come, taste me if you can."


Snow Experiment

Some experiments at Leavenworth, Kan., show that packed snow offers an excellent resistance to bullets.