Report an Issue  |  Note the color of the clay in places that are unglazed. Please check your browser settings or contact your system administrator. Use online commercial sites to look for sellers offering pieces similar to yours, since they may identify yours for you. See a comparison of Chinese and non-Chinese marks.. Pottery marks are the fingerprints of the antique pottery world, and after more than seven years of selling online, we have built up a considerable collection of photos of real pottery marks. How to Identify a Mark. Experts say that American pottery, for example, tends to have a "heavy bottom." The final step in identifying a pottery type is to analyze the decoration. To my very untrained eye its just a bunch of run of the mill pots. These solitary numbers were incised into the into the body of the ware. A brief introduction to understanding ceramic back stamps and factory marks. A Community For People Who Buy, Sell or Collect Antiques, Collectibles and Art. Fig. Linda H. Richard states, "In most of the American pottery pieces, the bottom tells more than the glaze. The American makers Griffin, Chesapeake Pottery and Smith and Hill used distinctive markings.Smith and Hill Majolica is marked Etruscan. She holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Middle Eastern studies and Hispanic studies from the College of William & Mary and a Master of Arts in Middle Eastern history from Tel Aviv University. We have a public forum here on this site with over 2000 pages of pottery mark queries and answers. If we have additional information on the pottery mark or piece, you can click the image to open that section. Markings can be stamped on the bottom of the piece and some Majolica will have no markings. Inclusions – often incorporated naturally into the clay (e.g. This is the most specific of the elements identifying a ceramic type. 16. Identify the manufacturer's mark, usually found on the bottom of the pottery piece. Chinese porcelain is believed to have originated during the Song dynasty (960–1279). Pottery – Identification – UNMARKED is NOT a bad thing. Observe any designs painted on the piece itself. Bring the piece to a trusted dealer or pottery expert who can help you determine authenticity. Marks are often referred to as back-stamps or bugs. Narrow down the clay type and color, the weight of the piece and the color of the glaze. Every collector knows that the quickest way to identify a piece of pottery or porcelain is to identify the mark, but sometimes it’s unreliable because marks are often forged and changed. A willow piece from China will picture a blue-and-white willow, orange or apple tree with two birds. Discoloration or specific coloring on the bottom of the piece may as well. Based in Washington, D.C., Lena Freund began writing professionally in 2007, while living in Tel Aviv. While something used as a decoration, such as a vase, may have some minor embellishments, anythin… Pottery marks identification (a tricky task at the best of times) just got easier - with a little help from your friends! Cajun Collection: Identifying American Pottery: Look at the Bottom! When Pottery Companies have an unmistakeable MARK on the bottom that tells the story of age and worth, it's one thing. I know it is an antique since my aunt bought it over 20 years ago at an antique auction and I inherited it without any info on it. But, when there are no marks, no "story" with the piece you have found at a recent flea market or garage sale, how do you identify? Very many of the pieces produced by the Brush-McCoy pottery, as in the case of the J.W. sand, shell, rock fragments), but also deliberately added (e.g. Hudson is one of Weller's most popular and collectible lines, and many of these pieces were also signed by the artists who decorated them in addition to having this marking. 1937 to 1942. For example, 500-12 would be a 12 inch Pedestal item. I do have a picture. Hold the piece up to natural light and closely examine the entire surface until you find the mark. Visit Facebook www.facebook.com/iantiqueonline and "LIKE" our page. I know you cannot tell me value but maybe you could tell me who the manufacture is or approximate age. Use phrases that are descriptive. Identify a mark by shape. The identification and authentication of Chinese porcelain is a complex process of an overall verification of a number of factors. Prior to 1900, it was hit or miss with hallmarks because many companies simply didn’t mark their pieces at all. Reign marks can play a pivotal role in helping to identify the period in which Chinese artefacts were created. 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Dianne Zweig   sand, crushed shell, grog). ", Ask.com explains, "Antique pottery comes in three main forms. Even with multiple sources, you may not end up finding a concrete origin for your piece of pottery. No pottery marks by: Anonymous Hello, I have a cup and saucer that has no markings of any kind. Cajun Collection offers an insightful article, Identifying American Pottery, on identifying pottery with or without a mark, starting with: Look at the bottom! If the piece of pottery or porcelain you have has a mark on it, you can identify it in several ways. Stanley Ballard was an Alfred University graduate in ceramics in 1939 who produced pottery in the mid-century modern style. Powered by, Badges  |  On Facebook -JOIN I Antique Online.com: Collectors of Antiques and Collectibles. The bottom shows the name, if there is one, the color of the clay, the way the piece is fired, and other characteristics that help with the identification. Marks with letters are listed in alphabetical order. Figs. Reign marks are usually four or six characters in length and can be found on the base or the side of an item. by Vitor Martins (Orange NSW, Australia) I have got this wonderful antique pottery vase marked with the number 1856 above an N and with Made in England embossed on a raised section on the bottom. Please join our FB group where YOU can post directly. Moriage china, for example, often features pastel colors and intricate floral designs laid in with small ribbons of clay. 09/09/2018 at 9:15 am #48521. Identifying Chinese porcelain involves more than just knowing the mark in order to decide age and manufacturer, as many novices do believe. McCoy pottery, had no identifying marks at all. Other identifying country marks such as “made in Occupied Japan” were used on pottery made during the period of the occupation of Japan after World War II from 1945 to 1952. Dianne@cdiannezweig.com. Indentations in the bottom of the piece, allowing it to sit flat, may also be indicative of its origin. Put simply, these ceramics had a single use. The bottom shows the name, if there is one, the color of the clay, the way the piece is fired, and other characteristics that help with the identification. It was possibly include a river, boats and people on a bridge. Serving as both evidence of its origin, age, and often times, quality, the makers mark on a porcelain item is the first place many collectors look before making a purchase. Always consult with your local experienced dealer! Amateur pottery owners or collectors have to correlate information from multiple sources in order to identify an unmarked piece of pottery. There may have been some very minor alterations from one dynasty to the next, but overall the shapes were borderline identical. Red clay can be indicative of the origin of the piece. Tweet The listed majolica makers, above, did stamp their pieces. If carefully studied they offer a great help in identifying the date and maker of most Chinese porcelain. Relatively early though, the procedure of marking their wares with a style number was adopted. The first section of the number is the identification number for the item's design; the last section of the number is the size. Scout flea markets and art markets as well for other local people selling similar pieces who might be able to help you identify yours. Come up with a couple of options for potential potters, and then use an online search engine to obtain more information and possible matches. Scan the index of this pottery marks identification guide to help you identify your pottery or porcelain. Facebook, Editor-In-Chief   I find it very fascinating that the origin can be identified on something like this with no markings at all. ", They give 13 tips on how to determine authenticity of Antique Pottery. American pottery is often thicker than that of other countries and weighs more. Initially, only particular shapes were used for porcelain kitchenware and tableware. Offered here is an attempt to identify some of the marks on mostly late, trade and export quality porcelain. Porcelain marks are the fingerprints of antique china. Most older pieces will have a slanted "s" in Roseville, while almost all newer marks have an "s" that has little or no slant like the one shown here. This will help you date the piece, as to whether or not it was produced before 1837. I want you to enjoy your time here without being bombarded by flashing banners and endless Ebay listings so, THERE IS LITTLE ADVERTISING HERE. But, of course, first turn your piece bottoms up! Antique Pottery & Porcelain Marks Identification Guide. Look at the bottom of your piece of pottery for a design that may indicate the pieces origin, even without the potter's name or the factory name. There is no quicker way to learn than to handle as many pieces as possible. Notice how the mark varies from piece to piece. When identifying a piece of pottery that's hallmark clearly uses England's coat of arms, look for the escutcheon (shield over shield). Mid-to-late-period items have a number with three or four digits, followed by a dash, then one or two more digits. Manufacturers sometimes imprint or paint with glaze an identifying mark to distinguish their pottery from the one made by their competitors. Native American pottery also often makes use of red and beige clays. But, of course, first turn your piece bottoms up! Participant. 14-16 The firm making the better quality copies fortunately marks their ware with the incised letters MW shown above about actual size. Chinese Porcelain Reign Marks Identification. Of course, these are not the only clues to dating pottery and you have to remember that people will try to trick you with forged marks. However, the way the "s" is slanted, according to a collector who studies pottery voraciously, can be an indication that a Roseville mark is not genuine. Some marks look like a circle, square, bird or animal shape, etc. Frankoma pottery, for example, is made of red or pink clay, while Ada pottery sports yellow or beige clay. Sometimes you can make a wild guess as to age, which can help identify a pattern. Still the marks are something of a fingerprint of the potter and its time. Bring the piece to a trusted dealer or pottery expert who can help you determine authenticity. In most of the American pottery pieces, the bottom tells more than the glaze. This includes Milton, Wedgwood, Holdcroft and George Jones. Be sure to get all of the details, and note the size and the method with which the mark was applied to … Please join our FB group where YOU can post directly. This is one of the major factors that determines Chinese porcelain. 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