This is one of the finer examples of an Anna Pottery Salt Glaze Railroad & River Guide known. This pig flask features incised Mississippi River down the back of the figural with the incised lettering "St. Louis the future great in" pointing to the rear of the pig. This denotes the time in history when there was a push to relocate the White House from Washington, D.C. to St. Louis as many people felt is was important to centrally locate the nations capitol. When it was determined that this idea was a lost cause the vocal brothers of Anna Pottery Cornwall and Wallace began making the statement on their pigs that St. Louis the future great in a hogs ---- appeared on the pig flasks. Below the incised area regarding the capitol is the verbiage Railroad & River Guide/By/Anna Pottery/ 1884. On the right side of the pig is a detailed railroad guide featuring the towns of Bloomington/Springfield/Alton/Chester/Grand Tourere/Cairo the (referring to the rear of the pig/Anna/Carbondale/DuQuain/Tamaroa/Centrailia/Odin/Maltoon/Champaign/Kankakee/Pullman/OHM.R.R/C.B.I.C.R.R. "Mounds" are incised on the testicles of the pig. On the underbelly reads Cincinnati the Pork City. Under the chin is Chicago the Corn City. On the hind left side a small hole is placed near the knee of the hind leg that list Tunnell Hill. This is very rare on pig flask and is generally on key pig flasks. The pig flask is in exceptional condition, the underbelly of the pig demonstrates the Kaolin Clay that was prevelate in Anna Pottery as it appears the salt glaze did not reach all the way to the underbelly of the pig. This is a exceptional example of a salt glaze pig flask made by Cornwall and Wallce Kirkpatrick of Anna Illinois. H 3 1/2", W 6 1/2", D 2 1/2"

Exceptional, excellent totally original condition.