American Toby Jug Museum 

Duke of Plaza Toro large size toby jug in a red colorway designed by Clarice Cliff and produced by Shorter & Son of Stoke-on-Trent, England, circa 1950. From the Gilbert and Sullivan opera "The Gondoliers", the Duke of Plaza-Toro is a satirical character representing a declining nineteenth century aristocracy who still espouse old class values and notions of duty, but in reality care more about the grubby financial opportunities offered by the new industrial and banking age. The Duke is reluctant to pursue that most important of aristocratic duties, military service. "The Gondoliers" is a Savoy Opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered in December of 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances, closing at the end of June 1891. This was the twelfth comic opera collaboration of fourteen between Gilbert and Sullivan and was their last great success. With permission from D'Oyly Carte, Shorter modeled this series based on the actor and costumes from the operas and posing in scenes from the operas.
The large feather from the Duke's hat forms the handle of the jug. As this colorway is an authentic Shorter & Son mold, but not true to the original set, it is likely a one-off made by an artist inside the factory, or a second and finished outside the factory.