Meissen used several marks and there were several "reproduction"
Meissen marks: When I say "reproduction marks" I mean reproduction from the 18th Century, maybe copy would be a better word. The canceled swords
A canceled line often appears on a piece of Meissen either through or beside the crossed sword mark. This means the piece is supposed to be of inferior quality in either the painting or modeling. Some people say that Meissen used the canceled mark to increase turnover through price reduction. Others refer to the marks as a
means of denoting a piece that has been given or sold to an outside decorator where it could be later painted (referred to as Outside Decorated). It can be very confusing for the collector. A piece given or sold to an outside decorator would be completely white in appearance. German Dresden mark, which is sometimes referred to as a Meissen mark. This mark is now more correctly attributed to Helena Wolfsohn, a Dresden artist in the late 1880s! Mark: Crossed swords.
There are several companies that used the crossed swords mark, I have listed those that I could find here but I don't have photographs of the marks. So I recommend that you visit the library and look through several books on marks to find the one on your antique or collectible piece. I have given you a starting point with the pottery factory name. These are all European factories. Crossed Swords Marks, Crossed Arrows, Flambeaux Mark: - The mark most often mistaken
for Meissen is from the rue Fontaine-au-Roy factory (aka Basse Courtille and La Courtille). It is in blue like the Meissen mark but is actually arrows instead of swords.
- Limbach and Volkstedt - Germany (sometimes had a star between the hilts similar to the Marcolini mark)
- Weesp - Holland (had 3 dots near the blades)
- La Courtille - Paris
- Worcester - England (had a 6 looking character between the blades)
- Kloster-Veilsdorf
- Bourdois & Bloch
- Kalk Porcelain
Crossed "L's" Marks: - Vincennes factory used this mark and when it was taken over by Sevres they added very distinct date letters.
**From a very old publication that I have only this page from, no name and not dated. |
