American Toby Jug Museum 

Columbus tiny character jug modeled by Stanley J. Taylor and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, in a 1997 limited edition of 2,500 for Lawleys By Post. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was an explorer who set out to discover a western sea route from Europe to eastern Asia, but instead made landfall in the Bahamas. After five centuries, Columbus remains a mysterious and controversial figure who has been variously described as one of the greatest mariners in history, a visionary genius, a mystic, a national hero, and a ruthless imperialist. After trying unsuccessfully in Portugal to enlist support for his enterprise to find a westward route to Asia, Columbus gained the support of the Spanish monarchs. The widely published report of his voyage of 1492 made Columbus famous throughout Europe and secured for him the title of Admiral of the Ocean Sea. Columbus led three more expeditions to the Caribbean, exploring regions of Cuba, North America, Puerto Rico, and Honduras, all the while believing he had discovered the Orient. A globe and navigation chart of Caribbean form the handle of this jug.