Annie Oakley character jug produced by Sterling Pottery of Fenton, England, circa 1950 being purchased by Ridgway in 1950. Born Phoebe Anne Oakley Moses (1860-1926), this American crack shot first learned to shoot to provide food for her family. After winning a shooting match in Cincinnati with the famous marksman, Frank E. Butler, she became a nationally known figure. In 1880 she married her opponent and together they formed a trick-shooting act, touring the vaudeville circuit. It is said that Annie could hit a dime tossed in the air at thirty paces. Little Sure Shot, as she came to be known, joined the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show in 1885 and was given top billing as The Peerless Lady Wing-shot. One of her trick shots involved centering a shot in each of the pips on a playing card. From this performance comes the term Annie Oakley to denote a complimentary ticket, the holes punched into a free pass resembling the bullet holes she fired into the playing cards. Her life and exploits were celebrated in Irving Berlin's popular musical of 1946, "Annie Get Your Gun". This is the largest of three known sizes.
Maker:
Sterling Pottery
England
circa 1950
Model #:
character jug
Size:
medium
Height:
4 1/2"
