American Toby Jug Museum 

Da Gama 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. The Portuguese navigator, Vasco da Gama (1469-1524), was the first European to journey by sea to India. With four vessels, he left Portugal on July 8, 1497, rounded the Cape of Good Hope in November and sailed across the Indian Ocean to Calicut, arriving in May, 1498. This voyage opened up a way for Europe to reach the wealth of the Indies, and out of it grew the Portuguese Empire. In 1502 he led a fleet of twenty ships on his second India voyage. With this force he attempted to establish Portuguese power in Indian waters and sought to secure the submission of a number of chiefs on the African coast. He was honored with many tributes and the title of Count of Vidigueria. In 1524 he was sent back to India as Viceroy, but he died soon after his arrival. A globe and navigation chart of Africa form the handle of this jug.