The Potti Team Dishes Up

THE POTTI TEAM BLOG

The identification of vintage and antique china is as complex as that of vintage and antique jewelry. There are many factors to consider when you begin purchasing either.  Before buying old china, as I have learned with old jewelry, it is wise to gather as much knowledge as you can, and then make allowances for mistakes.  Trial and error are a part of most learning endeavors. Here are a few tips that may help.

Use at least one hundred years old as the criterion for an antique.  This is a basic standard, and less clear definitions are confusing.  They may even be seen as unethical to some buyers, should you choose to resell your purchases.  Look for reputable dealers who stick with this criterion.

If your china piece states that it was made in a particular place of origin, it is likely to be vintage rather than antique. The words "made in" were required on U.S. imports after 1914.  This does not mean that pieces not bearing those words are necessarily older, unfortunately, as those not intended for export may not be so marked.

Antique china may not have any stamp or marking, and the less than familiar patterns may be nearly impossible for the average person to identify correctly.  It might be wise to stick with marked china, and manufacturers with whom you have become familiar, while you are adding to your knowledge base. A huge difficulty is the abundance of fake antique china - such as fakes of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, and of Nippon.  Nippon is the name found on Japan imports primarily from 1891 to 1921.  

The word was used to represent Japan before that time, but the United States did not require the name of the country of manufacture to be stamped on items until 1891.

  In 1921,  the United States insisted that the name it considered standard (Japan) be used to avoid confusion.

                                                              

China is a pretty inclusive term.  In the most comprehensive sense,  it includes earthenware (stoneware, ironware), and

fine china, which includes hard-paste porcelain, 

as well as bone china. (Many collectors only refer to porcelain as china; bone china is also a type of porcelain.) Bone china (which does actually contain ground oxen bones) is the most durable, as well as the most valuable, other factors (such as age) being equal. It is slightly translucent when you hold it up to a light source. Much of the earliest china that was made in America was earthenware (stoneware, ironware or such) and some of those pieces which have endured are valuable (as is old earthenware of other countries).

The stamp or imprint on the underside of a piece of china may convey some or all of this information: the location where it was made, the manufacturer or company, and/or the pattern. For example, Limoges is the location in France where much of its china has been made, not a manufacturer.  Some older china may only have a shape imprinted on it rather than a word stamp, which can also complicate identifying the maker and pattern.

To further add to the confusion, patterns, with only slight alterations, may cross manufacture lines.  An example of this would be the well-known pattern, Blue Willow, which is made by everyone from Spode to Johnson Bros.  A pattern may be made for many years by a manufacturer, so a stamp bearing the year it was first in usage does not necessarily date your piece. 

As with other vintage and antique items, condition is critical.  Run your finger around the rim of your china piece to detect cracks not easily visible. Look for bubbles or small irregularities in the glaze.  Assuming that you are looking at fine china, a tap on the edge should sound like a ping, rather than a dull thud. A thud indicates that the piece is cracked, even if a crack is not visible. (This will not be true of earthenware, stoneware, ironware.) This technique that should be developed at home so that you can hear the difference.

A china mark that appears to have been crossed through or deliberately marred may indicate that you have a factory second.  Although a second may be safe as dinnerware, it will bring a lower price on resale.  (Antique china marks are sometimes blurry, but if you know them well, you will be familiar with that which is normal.)

The Potti Team has lovely china pieces for sale by some lead manufacturers, especially teacups! Here are some pieces to get your learning process started; just click on the photos to read about each piece!

I have included some links for great china marks online references.  These are not comprehensive, but should give you a good start! 

(A big thanks to Debra who was a great help on this - any errors are my own!!)
     ~ Michele Davidson

Online References:

Various countries are listed down the right side:

http://www.oldandsold.com/pottery/germany1.shtml

This reference shows you some of the fake marks as well - excellent!

http://www.antique-marks.com/

http://www.mygrannysatticantiques.com/html/pottery__porcelain_and_china_m.htm

Royal Albert marks:

http://www.royalalbertpatterns.com/reference%20pages/Royal%20Albert%20Back%20Stamps-.htm

Many British pottery [stoneware, earthenware] marks:

http://www.thepotteries.org/mark/index.html