American Toby Jug Museum 

Stan Laurel bookend designed by William K. Harper and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, in a 1998 limited edition of 2,500. With Oliver Hardy, part of probably the most the popular comedy team in motion-picture history, Stan Laurel (1890-1964), whose real name was Arthur Stanley Jefferson, was born in Ulverson, England. The thin Laurel and rotund Hardy became a team in 1927. Their typical routine involved a simple set-up, which is then complicated by their zany antics. Their films are marked by expert pantomime, well-defined character and special care taken with props. They appeared in shorts until 1935 and in features until 1951. Hardy made frequent appearances in straight roles without Laurel. Their best-known films included the Academy Award-winning "The Music Box" (1933), "Fra Diavolo" (1933), "Sons of the Desert" (1934) and "Way Our West" (1937).