This is a large, early Victorian Staffordshire pottery twin handled frog mug, depicting Robert Burns, Allan Masterton, & William Nicol, with the motto 'WILLIE BREW D A PECK O MALT', & made in Staffordshire, England around the 1850's.

The mug has twin handles, a fluted base & rim, & both sides have the relief moulded figures of 'Willie, Rob and Allan' enjoying a convivial evening. The titles are in indented capitals, & one side has a moulded scroll to the base rim.

The interior of the mug contains a glazed frog figure. When the contents of the mug were nearly drained, the frog would appear to the drinker, who probably imagined that it was a real one, which was about to leap down his throat !!

The title of the mug is the name of a Scottish song 'Willie Brew'd a Peck o' Maut', written by Robert Burns (with the music by Masterton) in 1789 after an evening drinking with their friend Willie Nicol. The three friends are depicted on both sides of the mug (& mentioned in the 1st verse of the song "O Willie brew'd a peck o' maut, And Rob and Allan cam to see ...").

The Staffordshire pottery who produced this design have substituted the original word in the song 'maut' for 'malt' (maut is a Scots word for malt).

The mug has had some very old (& fairly crude) restoration to one handle & to the lip of the mug on the opposite side, otherwise, a scarce & original piece of early Victorian novelty Staffordshire.

The mug stands approx 5 3/8" high & 5" diameter (excluding handles), or approx 13.5cm x 13cm.