Jasperware pitcher with pewter lid titled 'Paul and Virginia' by T.J. & J. Mayer

This jasperware pitcher was produced by T.J. & J. Mayer in England during the mid-19th century, circa 1850s. The piece features the popular 'Paul and Virginia' design, depicting scenes from the famous 1788 French novel by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, with white relief figures against a distinctive blue background. Jasperware pitchers like this one were highly prized decorative items during the Victorian era, representing both artistic craftsmanship and literary appreciation. Collectors of 19th-century English ceramics particularly value T.J. & J. Mayer pieces for their quality of relief work, distinctive coloration, and historical significance as examples of the jasperware tradition established by Josiah Wedgwood but interpreted by other prominent potters.