Character Jugs originated with Royal Doulton. Inspired by Royal Doulton's Toby Mugs, Charles Noke a Royal Doulton artist, envisioned jugs more colorful and stylish, consisting of the head and shoulders only, and representing characters from English literature, songs, legend and history. It took Noke ten years to perfect his idea with the first character jug being launched in 1934. It was of John Barleycorn. The character jug was an immediate success and within two years other characters added to the Royal Doulton line were Old Charley, Night Watchman, Sairey Gamp, Parson Brown and Dick Turpin.