Pottery marks are often confusing often being blurred or sometimes impossible to read at all. Some marks – for instance, the anchor – can indicate a wide variety of periods, factories and countries.

Often marks have been imitated by other factories, the crossed swords of Meissen being particularly ‘borrowed’.

Also many early pieces bear no mark at all or a mark may actually refer to the potter or designer. Dates too, are not to be relied upon because they rarely give the date of manufacture. When incorporated into a mark, a date commonly indicates the date the factory was established or can indicate when the design was first introduced.

However, the design registration marks were applied from 1842 and give a reliable indication of the age of British wares. Other factories also had reliable dating systems: Sevres, Minton, Derby and Wedgewood in particular. Pottery and porcelain need to be touched and held, the more of it you see, the better a feeling you’ll get for a particular maker. If you’re trying to value a piece you have a home our guides will help narrow it down hopefully, but if you think you have something particularly valuable an expert needs to be consulted for a final evaluation.

Quick Guide to Establishing Dates

  • A printed mark signifies post 1800 manufacture
  • The royal arms only appeared after 1810
  • Marks including the name of a pattern are generally post 1810 or later
  • The diamond registration mark indicates 1842-1883
  • ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’ – 1860 onwards
  • ‘Trade Mark’ – 1862 onwards
  • ‘Royal’ followed by manufacturer’s name – mid 19th C onwards
  • ‘Rd No’ (Registered Number) -1884 onwards
  • ‘England’ – 1891 onwards
  • ‘Made n England’ – Early 20th C onwards

Registered Design Marks

The registration of design system was introduced in 1839 to protect designs.

Registered Design Marks – from 1842 to 1883

Shown above are the two patterns of Design Registration Marks which were used between 1842 and 1883.
The left hand diamond was used 1842-1867 and the right hand 1868-1883.

Example of registration mark.
Unfortunately it is often difficult to know if the mark is 1842-1867 or 1868-1883.

Because of the glaze the marks at the corners of the diamond are often difficult to decipher.

Year Codes 1842-67
A 1845 N 1864
B 1858 O 1862
C 1844 P 1851
D 1852 Q 1866
E 1855 R 1861
F 1847 S 1849
G 1863 T 1867
H 1843 U 1848
I 1846 V 1850
J 1854 W 1865
K 1857 X 1842
L 1856 Y 1853
M 1859 Z 1860
Year Codes 1868 83
A 1871 K 1883
C 1870 L 1882
D 1878 P 1877
E 1881 S 1875
F 1873 U 1874
H 1869 V 1876
I 1872 X 1868
J 1880 Y 1879

 

Month Codes 1842-83
The same system of code letters was used for indicating the month of registration
A December
B Ocotober
C/O January
D September
E May
G February
H April
I July
K November
M June
R August
W March

Registered Numbers – from 1884

Registered numbers are a consecutive numbering system which started in 1884 of designs which were registered by companies. The Registered Number, usually written as Rd on the piece of pottery, gives the date when that design was registered to prevent copying, but it could have been made at any time later than that date.

Details of the registrations for 1 to 548919 are held at the Public Record Office, Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Surrey.

1884     1
1885     19756
1886      40480
1887     64520
1888     90483
1889     116648
1890     141273
1891     163767
1892     185713
1893     205240
1894     224720
1895     246975
1896     268392
1897     291241
1898     311658
1899     331707
1900     351202
1901     368154
1902     385180
1903     403200
1904     424400
1905     447800
1906     471860
1907     493900
1908     518640
1909     535170
1910     552000
1911     574817
1912     594195
1913     612431
1914     630190
1915     644935
1916     653521
1917     658988
1918     662872
1919     666128
1920     673750
1921     680147
1922     687144
1923     694999
1924     702671
1925     710165
1926     718057
1927     726330
1928     734370
1929     742725
1930     751160
1931     760583
1932     769670
1933     779292
1934     789019
1935     799097
1936     808794
1937     817293
1938     825231
1939     832610
1940     837520
1941     838590
1942     839230
1943     839980
1944     841040
1945     842670
1946     845550
1947     849730
1948     853260
1949     856999
1950     860854
1951     863970
1952     866280
1953     869300
1954     872531
1955     876067
1956     879282
1957     882949
1958     887079
1959     891665
1960     895000
1961     899914
1962     904638
1963     909364
1964     914536
1965     919607

The Registered Number, usually written as Rd on the piece of pottery, gives the date when that design was registered to prevent copying, but it could have been made at any time later than that date.

Use of the British Royal Coat of Arms on Pottery

The Royal Arms may only be used by businesses which are holders of a Royal Warrant. Nowadays Royal Warrants are granted to people or companies who have regularly supplied goods or services for a minimum of five consecutive years to members of the Royal Family.

However in the late 19th and early 20th century many potters who did not have a Warrant (both in England and also foreign firms) also used the Arms (or some similar design) as part of their mark – to gain some sense of importance and value.

In the same way many potters use the name “Royal” as part of their name or trade mark.