|
When you watch the experts and appraisers at antique roadshows or
on auction house valuation days, or even on the TV, you probably
wonder just how they get so much information about a teacup, vase
or a piece of silver simply by turning the item upside down.
 The
fact is, the markings that are stamped, painted or impressed on
the underside of most antique items can help you tell a great deal
about a piece other than just who made it.
The
name of the pottery manufacturer and an approximate date of manufacture
can be discovered if the piece of pottery has a backstamp or the
silver item has a hallmark.
What
the expert is looking for is some historical reference point. A
mark that they have learned over many years spent researching and
studying antique marks. What few people are aware of is that it's
not just the name of the company such as moorcroft, rookwood, worcester
or doulton that may be there, but also a number of other things
used by the company and placed in or around the mark itself. 
Dating
an antique is a little like detective work. The company name itself
only gives the appraiser a rough timeline of when the company was
known to operate. Other factors such as the colour of the mark,
how it's applied or the numbered codes within the design can often
date a piece to the exact year it was produced and tell you where
or who the specific artist was.
Famous
companies such as Wedgwood, Meissen, Doulton, Minton, Derby and
Worcester all use a variety of numerical or symbol codes which can,
with just a little knowledge and analysis, give you the exact date
of production.
 Silver
hallmarks, pewter touch marks, signatures on bronzes, foundry marks
and engraved signatures on glass can all help to point you in the
right direction. However, few collectors, buyers or sellers have
the ability to memorise every mark, signature or number code used
on antiques and even the experts that deal in antiques for a living,
still need good sources of information to refer too.
But,
even without refering to a list makers antique marks there are a
few pointers that you can copy or commit to memory to help you date
antiques.
- Ceramics
bearing the words - English Bone China
or Bone China - were manufactured
in the 20th Century
- In
1891
the Mckinley Tariff Act of America
required all imports to America to bear the name of the country
of origin. So, an item bearing the words - England - or another
country, will have been produced on or after 1891.
- Similarly
- Made In England - will date a piece
to after 1921.
- Small
hand-written marks tend to be Pre-1800's
- Design
Registration Marks or Kite marks with - Rd
- in the center were used between 1842 and 1883. See
table below
- The
use of registration numbers such as Rd No.10057 began in 1884.
See table
below
- Printed
or Stamped marks in colours other than blue tend to be post 1850.
- The
use of the word Royal
before a company name tends to be used after 1850.
- The
word Limited or
Ltd appears after
1860 when a law was passed requiring it to be shown by limited
liability companies. Although it was being used on some pieces
from 1885 onwards.
- In
1862,
the Trade Mark Act became law. Therefore any piece bearing the
words - Trade Mark
- can be taken as being made after that year.
- Items
bearing a pattern number or pattern name, can be assumed to date
no earlier than 1810.
- Royal
Arms incorporated into a small mark indicates a date after 1800.
- From
the 19th Century onward 'Royal Arms'
were often granted by the Monarch and added to the manufacturers
name or trade name. Pieces bearing "Royal"
can usually be dated after 1850.
The
rules are guides rather than hard and fast rules, as there are some
exceptions depending on individual company practices and further
research should always be carried out before parting with your money.
|
