American Toby Jug Museum 

Stan Laurel character jug modeled by William K. Harper and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, in a 1995 limited edition of 3,500 commissioned by Lawleys By Post. Stan Laurel (1890-1964) was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson in Ulverson, England, and with Oliver Hardy formed probably the most popular comedy team in motion-picture history. The thin Laurel and the rotund Hardy became a team in 1927. Their typical routine involved a simple set-up that was then complicated by their zany antics. Their films are marked by expert pantomime, well-defined character and special care taken with props. The more creative of the team, Laurel produced several of their films and devised most of the routines. They appeared in short films until 1935, then in feature films until 1951. Their best-known films included "Fra Diavolo", "Sons of the Desert", "Way out West" and the Academy Award-winning "The Music Box". A movie camera on a tripod forms the handle of this jug.