Posset pots are spouted two handled vessels from the 17th and 18th Century used to consume "posset', a beverage containing a cocktail mixture of curdled hot milk or beaten eggs, often including wine or ale, often spiced or sweetened, and often thickened with oatmeal or bread. They have lids to keep the contents warm with the floating custard portion eaten from the top with a spoon and the liquid lower portion sucked from the spout. 

They were most commonly made in slipware and delftware and a rare few in silver. Over time the shape of posset pots evolved from simple basic forms to more curvilinear vessels with elaborate ornamentation (too nice to use in my opinion). Needless to say it does not take much imagination to understand why most did not survive undamaged (i.e., wine, ale and ceramics are never a great combination).

I acquired my first ladies spittoon believing it to be a feeding cup (I was inexperienced, it "sort of" looked like a feeding cup and it was described as being one) and upon realization as to what it was I paid little to no attention to it for years and it stayed on the lowest shelf of my display case in the back.  It was not until much later when downsizing my collection (and deciding what to keep vs sell) that I decided to acquire a second one to display next to it and see what I thought. Given that I now have more than two one can assume I liked what I saw.

Another area that I developed a slow interest in is blue & white transfer-printed bourdaloues.

While admittedly the vast majority are generic, plain and uninspiring - a few have very detailed transfer-printed scenes of flora and/or birds. With still no real sense on how they work (laziness on my part given some have directions printed right on them) they display wonderfully with all my other ceramics.

Nothing stated on this website should be taken as being 100%  absolute.  Information being shared is simply what I've come to understand, appreciate and/or believe while collecting. 

On that same note, all images on this website are posted with educational intent and are free to copy and use without my permission as far as I am  concerned.

Questions and inquiries, which I never get any,  can be sent to: thefeederguy@pobox.com