A Stoke-on-Trent pottery has unveiled two prototypes for a “flamboyant” Donald Trump Toby jug – after opting not to produce an orange-faced caricature.
Hanley-based Bairstow Manor Collectables has high hopes for its 4in (10cm) tall model of the 45th US president, which has a “lifelike” appearance and his trademark hand gesture.
Roger Bairstow, the firm’s owner, confirmed two versions of the US leader are set to go into production in the new year – an open edition and a separate run of 50 or 100 jugs with Mr Trump wearing a Stars and Stripes jacket.
(Aaron Chown/PA)
The Bairstow Manor pottery, founded in the 1930s, is renowned for Spitting Image-style pieces poking fun at or paying tribute to political figures, and once supplied a set depicting 12 Second World War Allied leaders to a Toby jug museum in the United States.
Explaining the development of its latest product, Mr Bairstow told the Press Association: “A friend of mine who has the American Toby Jug Museum in Chicago said ‘You’ve got to do Trump, but the only problem is I don’t know what colour you’ll do his hair because it changes every day!’
“I thought, do I do it as caricature? I thought no, not really, and that’s the way it’s gone – we have done it as is.
“I did toy with doing a caricature one but we do all the prime ministers and other presidents so I just think it’s respectful to do them as they would be.”
Among recent figures made by Bairstow, which has a six-strong staff, is a satirical depiction of Theresa May as Brexitannia, with Michael Gove looking glum at the Prime Minister’s feet.
The Trump jug, with a flesh-coloured face and right hand, is hand-painted and fired four times during the manufacturing process.
Mr Bairstow added: “The only licence we have given ourselves is to do one dressed up with the Stars and Stripes, which of course is a very much more expensive paint job.
“There’s the normal one with just his suit on and his tie, which is the standard one most people would go for.
“But you always get certain collectors who like something a bit different so we have gone a bit overboard with the Stars and Stripes, which will be a short edition of maybe 100.
“We are in production now, we should start painting in the middle of January and at the end of January onwards we should start seeing them.”