Koster's Premier Pottery produced many unique and collectable electric jugs in South Australia from 1930 till 1977 of which the earliest ceramic swivel lid and squat swivel lid jugs are most sought-after.

  

'The Koster Electric Jug' with ceramic swivel lid
Lead glazed

Height = 333mm Width = 210mm Depth = 160mm

Made by Koster Premier Pottery 1930

Made of press-moulded stoneware the electric hot-water jug has a safety "half-moon" swivel lid also made of stoneware, the jug has a waisted circular foot, shouldered ovoid body with slight body lobes, short neck and lipped rim with sharply pointed pouring beak, handle at back with upward angled bar and curved lower section; the "half-moon" safety lid with flattened waisted knob is set inside the mouth of the jug to swivel on a fitting with central pivot so that the jug cannot be opened while power plug is in place and likewise the power plug cannot be inserted while the jug is open.

An example of this jug can be seen in the Powerhouse Museum's collection.

 

The Koster Electric Jug 'Squat' with ceramic swivel lid
Lead glazed

Height = 235mm Width = 210mm Depth = 160mm

Made by Koster Premier Pottery 1930

 
Koster speckled electric jug with Bakelite c1950

 
Koster electric 'skirt' jug with Bakelite c1950

In 1895 Johann Carl Koster started a brick works business on a patch of suitable clay in North Norwood (now Trinity Gardens) in South Australia. Trained as a brick maker his forte became pottery and from his kilns a range of high quality Bristol ware, jugs, teapots and crockery were produced which have become collectable.

By 1904 Koster's Premier Pottery of North Norwood was advertising a variety of jars, spirit bottles, jugs, bowls, brewing barrels, water filters and pitchers, bread pans, milk scolders, jam jars and flower pots.

After Johann's death in 1912, the business was carried on by his four sons; Kelly attended to administration, Gordon to marketing, Norman and Fred specialised in glazing. Initially clay was mined from the locality but in time an excellent supply was found at Woolcalla near Port Augusta. Glazes also improved as the company experimented with other South Australian materials.

During the 1920s electric power allowed diversification into a range of new industrial and household goods such as insulators, elements and electric jugs and technical changes at the pottery included oil-firing instead of wood and coal; then in 1969 a gas-fired tunnel kiln with automatic controls largely replaced human judgment about temperature and timing. This innovation proved to be the last, for none of the third generation of Koster's took over the family business plus the firm suffered a great financial blow with the loss of $30,000, embezzled by their trusted accountant.

In 1977 the Koster's failed to sell the pottery as a going concern so the land and buildings were acquired by the City Council to redevelop into a public park. One of the attractive and historically interesting bottle shaped kilns has been preserved and remains in the Trinity Gardens reserve.