CHINA
AND
POTTERY
MARKS

 

15 EAST 56th STREET
NEW YORK

 

 

Traditions and Old China

Copyright, 1920, Gilman Collamore & Company, Inc.

 

Traditions and Old China

From early days when the ancients showed their appreciation of fine pottery and old glassware by burying “these most esteemed possessions” with the dead, fine china has been synonymous with culture and breeding. With our ancestors for generations we share the tradition that, just as first editions give prestige to one’s book shelves, old china or the finest work of the modern kilns express readily that good taste and discrimination that is characteristic of our old families.

A wealth of association and historic data is to be acquired from the study of the “fabrique marks” and periods of the master craftsmen. If in America there was a general tendency toward acquiring, even a smattering, of this knowledge, there would be less of these drawing-room atrocities which Arthur Hayden in his “Chats on English Earthenware” points out, “To have a modern set of vases adorning a Georgian cabinet is like putting new wine in old bottles.”

For the convenience of the seasoned collector, as well as the beginner, in this book is a representative list of better known marks by which china can be identified. While it is not possible to include a complete list, particularly those of extremely rare specimens, those compiled have particular reference to the marks of English china which is greatly in demand by collectors. These will suffice to enable the reader to identify pieces whenever encountered.

The signatures or mark which the master craftsmen in earth or clay signed their products, just as a painter signs his work, were often specially designed devices of various kinds, often a combination of initials and dates. Each “fabrique mark” stands for a certain potter’s art just as the modern trade-mark.

Beginning more than a half century ago in the old La Farge House in lower Broadway (where John La Farge was born) the house of Gilman Collamore and Company has done much to develop an appreciation of fine china in America. It was one of the first houses to bring over from England and France china, both modern and old, for its American clients. At this time many fine specimens of old china are on view as well as complete stocks from the modern English and Continental manufacture.

GILMAN COLLAMORE & COMPANY, Inc.
15 East 56th Street
New York

 

 

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Germany and Austria

DRESDEN MEISSEN. Established in 1709. Mark used to 1712, in blue. Hard paste. DRESDEN Mark used from 1712 to 1720, in blue. Hard paste. DRESDEN About 1720, mark in blue. Hard paste. DRESDEN 1730, mark in blue. Hard paste. DRESDEN 1796. MARCOLINI (Director) PERIOD. Mark in blue. Hard paste. DRESDEN Royal pieces only. Mark in blue. Hard paste. DRESDEN Present mark. This mark with two scratches across it shows imperfect pieces which may or may not have been decorated in the factory. Hard paste. VIENNA Established in 1718. This mark first used in 1744. Hard paste.

Royal factory discontinued in 1864. BERLIN Established in 1751. Wegeleys’ mark. Hard paste. BERLIN In 1763 became a royal establishment. Mark in blue. Sometimes an eagle added. BERLIN Different kind of sceptre. In blue. Hard paste. BERLIN An extra mark used in 1830 with the sceptre, which is the present mark. This mark complete is never used except with perfect pieces decorated in the factory. Decorated pieces bearing the blue sceptre mark only are decorated outside of the factory. HOCHST, near MAYENCE Founded in 1720. This

mark, used about 1740, in gold, red, or blue. Hard paste. HOCHST, near MAYENCE Hard paste. FRANKENTHAL 1755 to 1761. First period. Hard paste. FRANKENTHAL 1799, second period. Carl Theodore. Hard paste. FRANKENTHAL Phillipp Hanong (Director). Hard paste. FRANKENTHAL Joseph Adam Hanong (Director). Hard paste. FRANKENTHAL John Hanong (Director). Hard paste. FRANKENTHAL 1800. Franz Bartolo (Director). Hard paste. NYMPHENBURG Established in 1747. Hard paste. NYMPHENBURG Hard paste. NYMPHENBURG An early mark in blue. Hard paste. FURSTENBURG Established in 1750. Hard paste. FURSTENBURG 1758. Hard paste. LUDWIGSBURG or KRONENBURG Established in 1758 to 1806. Hard paste. LUDWIGSBURG First period. Hard paste. LUDWIGSBURG Second period. Hard paste. LUDWIGSBURG Hard paste. Mark in blue. FULDA Established in 1763 to 1780. Hard paste. FULDA Hard paste. The arms of Fulda. RUDOLSTADT Established in 1758. Mark in blue. Hard paste. RAUENSTEIN Established in 1760. Hard paste. LIMBACH Established about 1761. Hard paste. LIMBACH Another mark. Hard paste. LIMBACH Another mark. Hard paste. GROSBREITENBACH Established about 1770. Hard paste. GROSBREITENBACH Hard paste.

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}img"/> VOLKSTEDT Established 1762. C. V. sometimes added with the arms. Hard paste. VOLKSTEDT Another mark. Hard paste. VOLKSTEDT Another mark. Hard paste. ANSPACH Established about 1718. Hard paste. ANSPACH Generally accompanied by letter A. Hard paste. ANSPACH Hard paste. ANSPACH Hard paste. GOTHA Founded in 1780. Hard paste. Various marks. GERA Established about 1780. Marks in blue. Hard paste. ALT HALDENSTEBEN The factory of M. Nathusins. Hard paste. CHARLOTTENBURG Established in 1790. Hard paste. BADEN-BADEN Established in 1753 to 1788. The edge of the ax in gold. Hard paste. COLOGNE Factory of M. L. Cremer. Enameled Fayence. POPPLESDORF, near BONN Fayence and porcelain. STRASBOURG Established about 1752. Hard paste. NIDERVILLER Established in 1768. Hard paste. ELBOGEN in BOHEMIA Established in 1815. Hard paste. SCHLAKENWALD Established about 1800. Hard paste. LEHAMMER or PIRKENHAMMER, near CARLSBAD Founded in 1802. Hard paste. HEREND Established 1839. HEREND Another mark.

 

 

Russia and Poland

KORZEC Established about 1803. Hard paste. Moscow Established in 1787. Hard paste. ST. PETERSBURG Mark in blue. Hard paste. ST. PETERSBURG Mark of Empress Catherine II. 1762 to 1796. Mark in blue. Hard paste.

src="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@40311@40311-h@[email protected]" alt="" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}img"/> ST. PETERSBURG Monogram of Nicholas I. 1825 to 1855. ST. PETERSBURG Established 1744. Mark in blue.

 

 

Denmark

COPENHAGEN Established in 1772. Mark in blue. Hard paste.

 

 

Holland and Belgium

AMSTERDAM Established in 1782. Mark in blue. Hard paste. AMSTERDAM Mark in blue. Hard paste. AMSTERDAM Mark in blue. Hard paste. TOURNEY Mark in gold represents a potter’s kiln. Established in 1750. Soft paste. TOURNEY Mark in gold used after 1755. Soft paste. TOURNEY Used about 1755. Soft paste. HAGUE Factory established about 1775; ceased in 1785. Mark in gray. Hard paste. DELFT Joost Thooft and Labouchere. Present mark Fayence.

 

 

Switzerland

NYON Established in 1790. Hard paste. ZURICH Established about 1759. Mark in blue. Hard paste.

 

 

Italy and Spain

NOVE 1752. Mark in blue or red. Soft paste. VENICE Mark in red. Majolica. VENICE Soft paste. VENICE 1720 to 1740. Soft paste. Mark in red. VENICE Soft paste. Mark in red. TURIN Vineuf. Established about 1770. Dr. Gioanetti (Director). Soft paste. TURIN Vineuf. Another mark. Soft paste. DOCCIA Founded in 1735. Hard and soft paste. DOCCIA Hard and soft paste. Another mark. GINORI. DOCCIA Hard and soft paste. Another mark. CAPO DI MONTE Founded in 1736. This mark used from 1759. Factory

abandoned in 1821. Soft paste. CAPO DI MONTE Mark used from 1759. Soft paste. CAPO DI MONTE Soft paste. Other marks. MILAN Mark in blue. Fayence. MADRID BUEN RETIRO. Monogram of Charles III. Established in 1759 to 1812. Soft paste. MADRID Soft paste. Another mark. MADRID Mark in blue. First quality. Soft paste. MADRID Mark in blue. Soft paste. MADRID Mark in blue. Mark under crown is another form of the monogram of Charles III., the founder. OPORTO Established about 1790. Hard paste. Mark in gold or colors.

 

 

 

England

WEDGWOOD. STAFFORDSHIRE Established in 1769. This mark both stamped and printed. STAFFORDSHIRE WEDGWOOD, present mark on decorated china. TURNER. STAFFORDSHIRE Established about 1756. W. ADAMS. STAFFORDSHIRE Established about 1780. ROGERS. STAFFORDSHIRE Imitations of WEDGWOOD. WOOD and CALDWELL. STAFFORDSHIRE Established in 1730. STAFFORDSHIRE Established 1790. LONGPORT. STAFFORDSHIRE Established in 1793 by Mr. John Davenport. STAFFORDSHIRE STAFFORDSHIRE STAFFORDSHIRE STAFFORDSHIRE Established about 1770, by Josiah Spode. STAFFORDSHIRE Copeland successor of Spode in 1833. LIVERPOOL Established in 1750. SADLER
1756. LIVERPOOL Established in 1756. LIVERPOOL Established in 1790. HERCULANEUM
POTTERY. LIVERPOOL This mark was used from 1822 to 1833. PLYMOUTH Established 1760. William Cookworthy.

src="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@40311@40311-h@[email protected]" alt="" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}img"/> YARMOUTH Absolon, only a decorator. SWANSEA Established 1790. This mark used about 1815. SWANSEA Mark in red. NANTGARW. WALES Established about 1813. Mark in red. LEEDS Hartley Greens & Co. Established about 1770. BRISTOL Established about 1770, by Richard Champion. BRISTOL BRISTOL Ceased in 1777. BOW Established about 1730. Ceased in 1775. BOW BOW CHELSEA The oldest mark. About 1747. CHELSEA Mark in red. CHELSEA First quality mark in gold. DERBY Established 1751. This mark used before 1769. DERBY-CHELSEA This mark in gold 1773. CROWN DERBY Mark in blue used about 1780. DERBY Mark used in 1830. Bloor (Director). DERBY Mark used in 1830. Bloor (Director). DERBY Mark used in 1860. ROYAL CROWN DERBY Present mark. WORCESTER Established 1751. Oldest mark. WORCESTER Mark imitation of Dresden. WORCESTER Generally on Chinese patterns. WORCESTER About 1751. WORCESTER Used 1783 to 1788. WORCESTER Used 1807 to 1813. WORCESTER

Used 1857 to 1862. WORCESTER Present mark. CAUGHLEY. SHROPSHIRE Established about 1751. CAUGHLEY. SHROPSHIRE An early mark in blue. COALPORT Established between 1780 and 1790. COALPORT COALPORT Present mark. STAFFORDSHIRE Established in 1791 by Mr. Thomas Minton. STAFFORDSHIRE Present mark. LAMBETH and BURSLEM Doulton & Co. STAFFORDSHIRE Brown-Westhead, Moore & Co.