If there is one thing that that is common to both collectors and sellers alike it is an interest in discovering the origin of their pieces. Most often it is related to finding the value of their pieces. As most people who read this blog know I don’t discuss values. That is because of the variables involved in pricing something. I recently published a blog post to help people in discovering the value of their items. I thought it may also be useful to help people discover the origin of their pieces.
Many, many books have been published on the marks used by various potteries. The focus of this particular blog is much more narrow. Here we discuss Victorian majolica which was made worldwide for a period of about 65 years during the last half of the 19th century and first quarter of the 20th century. Therefore there are many potteries that are part of our discussion. Here though we will show the marks most commonly seen in majolica. I have written about many of these companies previously in this blog. I have included links to those posts with the marks.
As is the case with most of these marks, the country of manufacture became a mandatory inclusion for export to England in 1890 and 1891 to the United States. In the U.S. the designation MADE IN had to be added after 1910.
English Majolica Marks
Minton. Their work is almost always marked with the word MINTON impressed in the base. After 1873 MINTONS was used. There are usually other marks on Minton majolica that help identify the year of production and catalog shape. I have written about these before.
Mintons also used different marks for Mintons’ Secessionist Ware which was made at the end of their majolica manufacturing period but which used the same glazes.
Wedgwood started potting majolica in 1860. From the beginning of that production they almost always marked their majolica with an impressed WEDGWOOD.
They often also used a three digit date code and hand written pattern number on the underside of their wares to indicate the precise month and year of manufacture. Into the 20th century on their majolica style wares they used ink marks as well. I discuss all these other marks in detail here.
George Jones was less than consistent with their marking system than the other large potteries. When their work was marked between 1866-1877 it was in some form of the initials GJ.
After 1878 they added the words & SONS to the logo in a crescent. They continued to use this mark into the 20th century as an ink mark. For more details on the pottery and its majolica marking system go here.
Edge, Malkin & Co. didn't make much majolica but their mark is sometimes found on plates and tiles as an impressed EDGE MALKIN & Co.
Thomas Forester & Co. rarely marked their majolica. It was only after 1890 that we see impressed and ink marks on the underside of their majolica on a regular basis. After 1891 the company became Thomas Forester & Sons Ltd. For help in recognizing unmarked Forester pieces go here.
Holdcroft was erratic in marking their majolica. They used two marks: an overlapping JH within a circle and the word J. HOLDCROFT in a straight line. For more on Holdcroft majolica go here.
George Skey Wilnecoate Works was very inconsistent in marking their majolica but its distinctive look is often the best way to identify it. When they did mark their wares they used two different marks. The most commonly seen is an oval mark that reads GEORGE SKEY WILNCOATE WORKS TAMWORTH and a rectangular mark that reads the same. For more information on Skey pottery go here.
Joseph Roth was fairly consistent in marking his majolica in the brief time he was in operation. His mark reads JR over L for London. For more on Joseph Roth go here.
Samuel Lear, like Forester, rarely marked their wares until later in their production period. They used a couple of different marks: LEAR or LEAR’S in different impressed scripts. For more on Samuel Lear majolica go here.
W.T. Copeland & Sons always marked their work with an impressed COPELAND. They also sometimes included a dating system as well as call be seen on the photo below. For more on that go here. For more on Copeland majolica go here
T. C. Brown-Westhead Moore & Co. only occasionally marked their majolica, usually in a double line of T.C. BROWN-WESTHEAD MOORE & CO.. They used ink marks on their other wares but impressed marks were the most common on majolica. For more information on Brown-Westhead Moore majolica go here.
Brownfield was erratic in the marking of their majolica. They basically used two marks when they did: BROWNFIELD in a simple line mark and their double globe mark.Non majolica wares used an ink version of the double globe mark. For more on Brownfield go here.
Joseph Alcock & Co. manufactured majolica much earlier than most English potteries but after the death of their founder. They used their name S. ALCOCK & CO or S. A & CO along with a bee skep in their logo. For more details on the pottery go here.
Royal Worcester distinctive mark with a circular monogram below a crown. It isn’t always clearly visible but they were consistent in marking their ware. Non majolica and later wares used an ink mark. For details on the company and their dating system go here.
J. Adams & Co, Adams & Bromley. J. Adams & Co. occasionally used an impressed mark on their majolica, ADAMS & CO or J.ADAMS & CO. Adams & Bromley rarely did but when marked it read ADAMS & BROMLEY. The company’s wares are most easily identified by their patterns as shown here.
Shorter & Boulton, Shorter & Son Shorter & Boulton never marked their ware during the 19th century but almost always did when the name changed to Shorter & Son in 1906. They used the mark SHORTER or SHORTER & SON. For more on Shorter & Boulton go here.
Alloa of Scotland has a distinctive look to it that helps identify it. However they also usually marked it using and impressed mark that read Manufactured on the Estate of the Earl of Mar in Mellie W.R.J.A. BAILEY ALLOA.
Wardle & Co. rarely marked their majolica during the 19th century but was mote consistent in marking during the 20th century. They used a variety of impressed marks. For more on Wardle go here.
Bel-field & Co. of Scotland used several different marks on their distinctive looking majolica wares sometimes just using BELLFIELD & Co. and sometimes including PRESTONPANS within an oval logo. Though they were not consistent with their markings, their catalog has survived which allows us to identify unmarked ware. For more on Belfield and its output go here.
French & Belgian Company Marks
Sarreguemines is always marked. The earliest pieces are marked with an impressed SARREGUEMINES sometimes with the word MAJOLICA. Later pieces are marked with an ink Sarreguemines with a D and V—for Digoin and Vitry-le-François, their additional factories— superimposed on it. For a look at the work and history of Sarreguemines and assistance in dating go here.
Choisy-le-Roi used numerous marks to identify their majolica work, the most common of which are shown below. For more detail on the marks of Hippolyte Boulanger & Co. see this blog post.
Frie Onnaing used numerous marks to identify their pottery. They usually marked their work with one of the marks shown below. For more detail on the pottery at Onnaing go here.
Nimy-les-mons was owned by the same group that owned Onnaing but marked very differently. Their majolica work is very similar. They used several different ink marks over the course of their production. For specific examples of their majolica go here.
Wasmuël did not mark much of their majolica. When it was marked they used ink stamps. The best way to identify their work its through their patterns, many of which you can see here.
Théodore Deck was generally pretty consistent with his markings. His work was signed TH DECK. For more information on Deck's work and history go here.
Massier family marks are often hand written ink marks. They also used stamped ink and impressed marks. Delphin Massier’s marked his work DELPHIN MASSIER VALLAURIS AM (Alpes-Maritimes). Before the break with his brother he marked his work DELPHIN MASSIER & Co. His brother Clément Massier worked in Vallauris until he moved to a facility in Golfe-Juan in 1883. His marks are usually hand written in ink or impressed CLÉMENT MASSIER GOLFE-JUAN AM. Cousin Jean-Baptiste worked alongside his father Jérôme, until he established his own pottery, marking his wares JÉRÔME MASSIER FILS VALLAURIS AM. For examples of Delphin Massier’s work go here. For more on Clément Massier go here.
Orchies most frequently used D L for L'Herminé & Declercq, surrounded by the O for Orchies. Occasionally however, they only used a catalog number which requires a familiarity with their patterns. The most well known mark is a windmill, the Moulin-des-Loups. The letters designate the model, the number specifies the size and the color. Their non majolica wares use an ink windmill mark
Saint Clément when it is marked it is usually marked with an impressed or ink ST. CLEMENT and sometime “K.G.” for Keller Guérin, an associated pottery in Lunéville.
Fives-Lille used a mark that incorporated an anchor with the initials D.B. which stood for the founder’s name De Bruyn. Usually it was impressed but occasionally it was printed. For information on Fives-Lille go here.
Marks from Central Europe: Austria, Germany, Hungary & Bohemia
Julius Greiner & Sohn used an oval mark with a letter G over a castle or bridge. Originally located in a part of Austria it is sometimes also marked AUSTRIA although the pottery location is now part of Czechoslovakia.
Gebrüder Schütz, Schütz Blansko, Schütz Cilli used similar marks which makes sense eince the potteries were all connected. For details on their history go here.
Gerbing & Stephan clearly marked their majolica with G & St. After 1900 their work was marked F. & A.G. for Friedrich & Alexander Gerbing, the sons of the founder. A post on their work can be found here.
Wilhelm Schiller & Son was one of the finest majolica manufacturers in Bohemia. Their work was consistently marked W. S. & S, sometimes plain and sometimes in a cartouche. For the history of Schiller & Co go here.
Royal Dux used a variety of marks over the years but consistently used a triangle with an acorn inside it. For specifics on Royal Dux and their marking system go here.
Bernard Bloch (including Eichwald) used a number of marks over their long history. Their most common mark is an impressed BB. When the company changed its name to Eichwald they used an impressed or molded Eichwald mark. They later switched to an ink mark. For details on the pottery go here.
Erphilia is a trademark used by an American importing company, Ebeling & Reuss, that specializes in importing and selling a variety of different types of pottery made in central Europe: Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. The name is a composition of the initial E and R and Phila. where the company is based. Their majolica type wares seen today date to the 20th century. They are not technically majolica but similar in look. They are included here because they are commonly found. They are still in business today.
Ignác Fischer majolica is not commonly found outside of Europe but it is one of the easiest to identify. Virtually all their work had an ink or impressed mark that read FISCHER J. BUDAPEST. After 1890 they used a more elaborate mark with a shield that read J. FISCHER. Later into the 20th century they used a more modern mark of E,F. For more information on Fischer majolica go here.
Villeroy & Boch used the initials VBS within a circle or octagon for their majolica incorporating the S for Schramberg. Some marks have an & while other marks include a tree between the letters. Non-majolica wares used a large number of different ink marks dating back to the company's founding in the 18th century.
Schramberg marked their wares with a shield with the letters SMF inside. This mark was used after 1912. Before that, they were a subsidiary of Villeroy & Boch and marked with the circular VBS mark.
Josef Strnact was generally consistent with the marking of their wares. They used a JS within a shield either impressed, molded or printed. For information on Strnact majolica go here.
Zsolnay was generally not marked prior to 1878 however many pieces have a three or four digit number on the base that relates to the company design books. This allows us to date the production design of early Zsolnay. A plain mark of Z.W.Pécs can occasionally be found on some pieces. The mark may also include the three initials TJM for Vilmós' three children Teréz, Júlia and Miklós. After 1878 the company used a five tower trademark representing the five medieval cathedrals of Pécs. For more on Zsolnay majolica go here.
Portuguese Marks
Caldas Da Rainha pottery refers to a number of different potteries working in Portugal. Some are 19th century and are considered majolica. Some are 20th century and technically not majolica but similar in style. I include them here because they are commonly seen.
José Alves Cunha pottery is one of the most respected names in late 19th century Palissy type pottery. It is marked with an impressed JOSÉ A. CUNHA within an oval above the words PORTUGAL and CALDES DA RAINHA
Álvaro José began his work in the 19th century, however his grandson continued production into the middle of the 20th century. The older marks only have the name ÁLVARO JOSÉ while the later marks include the words PORTUGAL and CALDAS DA RAINHA.
Manuel Mafra pottery is marked with an impressed M. MAFRA CALDAS below a crown
Bordello Pinheio was founded in the 19th century by Raphael Bordello Pinheio an artist, satirist and cartoonist who used a variety of marks. The company is still in business with the overwhelming number of pieces seen today being modern. The oldest pieces use an impressed mark. The more recent pieces are marked with a circular ink mark with a frog in the center and BORDELLO PINHERIO with CALDAS DA RAINHA or PORTUGAL surrounding it.
Northern European Marks
Rőrstrand is one of the major potteries in northern Europe. They are still in operation but made majolica at the height of its popularity. For more on Rőrstrand see this post.
Gustavsberg used two impressed marks on their majolica: The name Gustavesberg in script intertwined with an anchor and the name GUSTAVESBERG in a semicircle above an anchor.
American Marks
Griffen Smith & Co., Griffen, Smith & Hill used four marks on their majolica through their history: a GHS monogram, the word ETRUSCAN in a straight line, a circular mark of the GSH logo surrounded by the words ETRUSCAN MAJOLICA and the least common, a circular mark of the GSH logo surrounded by the words ETRUSCAN WORKS. They also did majolica wares with the words ETRUSCAN IVORY and non-majolica wares with the ETRUSCAN CHINA mark. For more on identifying Etruscan majolica go here.
New York City Pottery usually used handwritten marks on their majolica that are difficult to read but also used ink marks on their other wares. For more on Carr’s New York City Pottery go here.
Morley & Co. always marked their wares. They used several ink logos on their majolica. Fore motr on Morley & Co. go here.
Haynes Chesapeake Pottery used different marks for different lines of ware. At one point the Chesapeake Pottery was part owned by Edwin Bennet and the mark reflects that. For more on the Chesapeake Pottery go here.
Eureka Pottery was only in operation for a few years and were inconsistent in marking their majolica. Their mark was their name EUREKA POTTERY in a semicircle above the word TRENTON..for more on Eureka go here.
Tenuous Majolica is only occasionally marked. The most commonly seen mark is a circular one that reads TENUOUS MAJOLICA surrounding an H for the owner Richard Harrison. A less common mark is one that reads FIRE PROOF MAJOLICA. For further details on Tenuous majolica go here.
Wannopee always marked their wares. They used two common marks: a W surrounded by lines like the rays of the sun, and a mark for their lettuce ware, TRADE MARK “LETTUCE LEAF” For more on Wannopee go here.
Unfortunately there is still much to be done in discovering many of the potteries involved in making majolica. So much pottery is unmarked. Even some of the most prolific potteries like Arsenal and Dudson rarely marked their majolica. In cases like these you need to rely on other factors to help identify the origin of a piece. Contemporary trade advertisements, style and glazes help in identification. It can take a lifetime to learn to unlock these subtleties.
