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From the mid-1960s until the mid-1970s, the Homer Laughlin China Company produced barware for Hiram Walker Industries of Detroit, Michigan. These pieces were promotional items given to bars and clubs by liquor distributors to advertise the line of Hiram Walker spirts. Two shapes made up the assortment: the square ashtray and a special 5 ¼" tall, 18 oz. square water jug.
According to company records, the initial assortment of jugs and ashtrays consisted of the following decorations with the treatment numbers prefixed with "HW" for Hiram Walker:
- HW-1 Canadian Club water jug
- HW-2 Ashtray with Canadian Club decal and gold edge
- HW-3 Imperial Whiskey water jug
- HW-4 Ashtray with Canadian Club decal, but with no gold edge
- HW-5 Walker's DeLuxe Bourbon water jug
The water jugs were given decals on both sides. Canadian Club jugs were also given the C.C. initials under the spouts. All of the jugs were marked with a "Made in USA" incised marking.
In 1967, another water jug decoration was added to the line. It was given the treatment number HW-6 with the specification that the jugs were to be glazed in Fiesta yellow with "Throne's Scotch 10 Years Old" decals. By the summer of 1969, another Thorne's Scotch jug was added. This time it was glazed in Fiesta turquoise and designated HW-8.
In September 1974, more treatments were listed for the water jugs: HW-9, -10, and -11. All three used different Canadian Club decals. The HW-11 jug was the only one to feature a person in the decal. All of the other water jugs were decorated wtih simple logos and text. Unfortunately, the documents from the time don't go into detail about the HW-9 and HW-10 treatments. Most likely one of these is the Canadian Club decal with its tag line, "the best in the house" in Spanish as, "lo mejor in la casa."
Water jugs are rather common, but the Canadian Club ashtrays can be difficult to find. There is a very similar square jug made by Wade in England. It features the Canadian Club logo with a Canadian flag underneath. Such pieces are found marked with a Wade decal on the bottom. All of the examples on this page were made by Homer Laughlin.
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