American Toby Jug Museum 

Pedlar toby jug produced by Staffordshire Fine Ceramics of Tunstall, England, circa 1975. In England, the term was mostly used for travelers hawking goods in the countryside to small towns and villages. Pedlars filled the gaps in the formal market economy by providing consumers with the convenience of door-to-door service. They operated alongside town markets and fairs where they often purchased surplus stocks which were subsequently resold to consumers. Pedlars were able to distribute goods to the more geographically-isolated communities such as those who lived in mountainous regions of Europe. They also called on consumers who found it difficult to attend town markets. Thus, pedlars played an important role in linking these consumers and regions to wider trade routes.