In the 1770s, seeking to further refine cream-colored earthenware, Josiah Wedgwood developed a whiter clay body and added cobalt to the lead glaze formula to counteract its natural yellowish tint. The greater whiteness gave the ware a closer resemblance to porcelain, especially when decorated with blue. Many potteries produced pearlware, as it came to be called, using a variety of techniques to decorate it.

Staffordshire potters began to produce Toby jugs in the third quarter of the 1700s. Many potters produced the form with many variations. Toby jugs remained popular into the 1800s. The name has several associations, but the most important is probably Toby Philpot, the heavy-drinking subject of a popular song.