The Little Brown Jug
game
ca. 1890
Joseph Winner wrote the song "The Little Brown Jug" in 1869, using his middle name "Eastman" as an alias. Initially, the song, thought bright and cheery, told the story of a married couple of alcoholics. The catchy tune helped the song gain popularity, so much so that the Bennington Pottery manufactured Little Brown Jugs as souvenirs of the U.S. centennial in 1876. Later in the 19th century, J.H. Singer published its "Little Brown Jug" dexterity or ring-toss game. Simple rules printed on the box cover describe the game's play.
