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<\/a>Figure 1. Pottery marks: 1a. Painted pottery marks from Derby, the mark of crown and ‘D’ was adopted during the period under the management from William Duesbury II; 1b. Pottery marks from taffordshire. The Ashworths bought up Mason\u2019s works and rights in 1859 and add in \u2018Ashworths\u2019 thereafter (Burton and Hobson, 1909).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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However, common symbols and arrows before 1850s would not be covered in here. I would simply outline the evolution of the British pottery marks. Here I particularly drew out the pottery marks from East Liverpool in this blog as it is the major ceramic centre. East Liverpool, Ohio known as the “Crockery City”, was the nation’s largest domestic producer of dinnerware, whitewares and toilet wares during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Throughout mid to late 19th century, American potters had to confront a domestic market that had a long-standing preference for British wares. In response to this prejudice, plenty of ironstones were either marked with English-type marks or left unmarked in order to deceive the buyers. In fact, many British local potteries were then merged with the American companies in the early 20th centuries and produced uniform manufacture marks. To some extent, pottery marks embodied the history context in the ceramic industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How are marks applied? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n a. Incised<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The pottery marks, when incised, vary considerably; a different hand or a flaw into the still soft clay during manufacture, all tend to make them unrecognizable. This type of marks was usually made by small volume studio factories and would present a slight ploughed-up effect appearance as shown in Figure 2a.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n b. Impressed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This type of marks would impress into the soft clay during manufacture and have a neat mechanical appearance as shown in Figure 2b&c and 3. Heedful cautions are needed as a shrinkage of the wet clay will obliterate or change the marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n c. Painted<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like the incised marks, the painted marks, as shown in Figure 1a, must be carefully brushed over the glaze for the time being ornamented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n d. Printed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Printed marks are transferred from engraved copper tablets for the time being decorated as shown in Figure 4. This also need carefully handled as the printed marks were often blurred by the action of the firing or running of the enamel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dating British pottery marks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are various types of pottery marks and interesting meanings associated. Here, I was not aimed to provide a guide for pottery identification but briefly integrated and categorised the pottery marks across different periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Late 1870s -1880s:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There was a prevalent practice of using familiar British symbols such as eagle, and unicorn and lion in combination with a coat of arms, a shield or a heraldic escutcheon. Below showed the common types of marks during this period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Notes to the inclusion of the word \u2018Trade-Mark\u2019:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The inclusions of the word \u2018Trade-Mark\u2019 denote a post-1875 date, when the British Merchandise Marks Act was applied to American wares which aimed to protect British trademarks from misuse or fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Notes of British Royal Coat of Arms on Pottery Marks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Royal Arms may only be legitimately used by factories which are the holders of a Royal Warrant. Nonetheless, some potters and foreign firms, who were not the Warrant holders but sought to get some sense of value and importance, imitated the Arms or designed some similar motifs as part of their marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. 1880s <\/strong>\u2013 <\/strong>1910s:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n During this period, the pottery marks tended to be either very simply using the name of the potters in shape in script or block letters, or very elaborate and decorative, employing sophisticated and delicate shapes of designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. 1910s \u2013 present day<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The manufacture marks dated during this period are, as a rule, either employed a highly stylized motif, or very plain and straightforward design of potters\u2019 initials. The contemporary marks are tended to be less decorative and artistic than the antecedents and show no attempt at embellishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is worth mentioning that an American pottery, the Homer Laughlin China Company, in East Liverpool has devised a coding system to date the month, year and plant of the manufacture as shown as below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other types of marks: Royal Pottery Marks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As identified before, the use of the British Royal Coat of Arms indicates a company as the legit holder of a Royal Warrant. Likewise, the inclusion of word ‘Royal’ in a company’s title or trade name suggests the same and mostly dated in the late 19th century, if not a 20th century dating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 2. Pottery marks of William Bloor: 2a. Parian pitcher, 1861-1862, mark was raised and incised; 2b&c. marks were impressed (Gates and Ormerod, 1982).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 3. Bennett Brothers\/James Bennett: yellow ware platter, 1841-1844, mark was impressed \u2018BENNETT & BROTHERS\/LIVERPOOL OHIO\u2019. Note: James Bennett established the first pottery in East Liverpool in 1839 (Gates and Ormerod, 1982).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 4. Pottery marks from John Wyllie and Son Company: 4a. Ironstone table and toilet ware, 1875- ca. 1885. Printed: A lion and a unicorn in combination with a coat of arms; 4b & 4c. Ironstone table and
toilet ware, 1875-ca. 1888. Trademark of two shields with two branches mirrored; 4d. Ironstone table and toilet ware, 1875-1893. Printed: Ironstone china (in ribbon) with eagle logo (Gates and Ormerod, 1982).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 5. Pottery mark from Adams, William and Sons Company: Printed: SUPERIROR (in upper ribbon), eagle with shield body holding arrows and a branch, WHITE GRANITE (lower ribbon) (Gibson, 2016).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 6. Pottery marks from the firm of Knowles, Taylor and Knowles, (K.T. & K.): 6a-d. toilet ware and table wares ca. 1885-1918. Simple printed marks incorporating the name in the pattern; 6e: Inscription mark. S-V stands for Semi vitreous dinnerware, ca.1925 (Gates and Ormerod, 1982).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 7. Stubbs Bros and John Chew Ltd: Pottery name incorporated in a globe designed pattern, reads \u2018TRENT\/ J CHEW\u2019S\/ CHINA\/ LONGTON\u2019 (Birks, 2005).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 8. Saxon China Company: Semi-vitreous ware, 1920. A more elaborate modern stamp (Gates and Ormerod, 1982).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 9. Arthur Wood & Son (Longport) Ltd: 9a&b. Plain marks inscribe potter\u2019s initial and pottery origin. \u2018A. W.\u2019 is for Arthur Wood and the \u2018L\u2019 is for Longport (Birks, 2005).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 10. Warner-Keffer China Company: 10a. Stamp of potters\u2019 initial and the initial of production place East Liverpool. Ohio (E.L.O), 1908-1911; 10b. Decal inscribed the potter\u2019s name and production place, 1908-1911 (Gates and Ormerod, 1982).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
Figure 11. Homer Laughlin China Company\u2019s ware dating system: 11a. hotel china, 1960-present, \u2018FB\u2019 indicates it was produced in February 1965; 11b. hotel china, 1960-present, \u2018GJ\u2019 indicates it was produced in October 1966 (Gates and Ormerod, 1982).<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n