| Have an antique pot and want to know how old it is? | | | | and so from the glaze it could date from the mid |
| The easiest way is to look up the makers logo in a | | | | Victorian era to circa 1920s. However, the Japonaise |
| reference book or on a website. What if there is no | | | | Victorian aesthetic stylised leaf design were first |
| makers name - there can still be lots of clues to help. | | | | fashionable in the 1870s and as the tile is quite thick it |
| Here is part 3 of my basic guide to collecting antique | | | | is most likely that the tile dates from this era rather |
| and 20th century ceramics. | | | | than in the late Victorian era or the early 1900s |
| How to date a pot with no backstamps: The easiest | | | | How to date a pot from the marks on the base |
| way to date a pot is often from a manufacturers | | | | other than makers marks: |
| backstamp. But what if the base has no markings at | | | | There are a wide variety of potters marks placed on |
| all? What clues can be used to help with dating? | | | | the bases of pots. Just try turning a few over and |
| We can look at several factors and see when they | | | | see what you can find. If you are lucky enough to |
| were introduced ( therefore the earliest the pot can | | | | come across a makers mark you can use reference |
| date from) and when they were most fashionable ( | | | | books and internet sites to help date your pot. There |
| therefore most likely that the pot will date from). | | | | are other marks which can also be useful: The Word |
| These include: - Type of glaze | | | | England was placed on the base of pots as the |
| - Type of decoration | | | | country of manufacture was required by the |
| - Style of pot | | | | McKinley Tarriff Act from 1891. Pots with England on |
| - Colour | | | | the base will date after this time. This was upgraded |
| - Function of the item | | | | to Made in England circa 1920 Words like "Ltd" after |
| For example a pot purpose built as an electric lamp | | | | the company name and the word "Royal" or a Royal |
| with space for the fittings. This piece therefore has | | | | Coat of Arms will mean that the item is Victorian at |
| to post date the introduction of electricity. We can | | | | the very earliest as would a pattern name on the |
| then look at the style - perhaps its post-war | | | | base of your pot. Oven Proof, Microwave Safe and |
| modernist which would date it from between 1950s | | | | Dishwasher Safe are all later 20th Century |
| and 1970s. Another example: A tile has a majolica | | | | innovations a Bar code on the base would never be |
| glaze, a Victorian aesthetic design and is about 12 | | | | found pre-1970s. Bone China, Fine China are both |
| mm thick. Majolica glazes ceased to be used in the | | | | 20th Century and I am told that Great Britain is a mid |
| early 20th century as they were toxic to the potters | | | | 20th century term. |