Marvin Bailey Snake Folk Art Handle Jug South Carolina Folk Art Potter

Marvin Bailey Snake Folk Art Handle Jug

Marvin Bailey (b.1961), Lancaster, SC.
Bailey is from Lancaster South Carolina and is a self taught potter. He learned from his father's collection of southern folk art pottery and jugs. "In 2001 Marvin, a self taught potter, began making vases and flower pots and then face jugs. He began attending pottery festivals in the Carolinas and Georgia."

The Folk Art tradition of grotesque faced jugs were used as "spiritual" vessels starting in the 1800s with American Slaves and are similar to the Kongo African tribe face vessels. This folk art tradition carried on, becoming synonymous with the African Americans of the south. The style of grotesque faced jugs changed over time and the whimsical aspects of the folk art potter grew. 
Like the skull and cross bone on poison jars, the jug with the coiled snake was meant to scare the viewer away, to frighten them off and to protect their valuable liquid contents!

Glazed with white streaks showing through on the jug and mirrored on the applied snake. 
SIGNED "MARVIN BAILEY", South Carolina Snake Motif Pottery Jug, an applied resting entwined brown and white snake with incised scales. Incised to bottom with full name. Not dated.

Size: 6 1/2 inches tall
Condition: near perfect with no breaks or damage.  Please see the images for more details,. 

If you have any questions or if you need additional images, please feel free to contact me. 

Note:

Over seas buyers please contact me before purchase with postal code to get a shipping quote. Shipping cost posted is for Domestic shipping only.