Rare Staffordshire Pottery Pap Boat - English 1750-1759

A splendid rare antique salt-glazed stoneware pap boat with waves and rain drops design, by Staffordshire Potteries, made around 1750-1759. Unmarked. This pap boat was exhibited by Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, until 2023. You can find an identical example at The Art Institute of Chicago (1968.425). The pap boat was used throughout the 16th century up until early-to-middle 19th century, to aid in the feeding of infants and of hospital patients who were too weak to feed by themselves. The mixture of water, flour and bread was called pap. They were also used for medicine. The pap boat was later replaced by the invention of the feeding bottle.