|  | | | Main Marks Page: | Antique Porcelain Vintage Pottery Antique China Dinnerware Marks & History A - F |
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| | | Antiques and Collectibles Porcelain, Pottery, China and Dinnerware - Marks & History A - F |
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| | | As time permits I will post additional antique marks and a bit of their history on these pages. |
Marks A-F | Marks G-L | Marks M-R | Marks S-Z | |   Alboth and Kaiser - Alka Bavaria Mark / A&K Bavaria Mark
| Alboth and Kaiser Bavaria Germany, 1872 - ; In 1872, August Alboth established a small china-refining and decorating business in the town of Coburg. His son Ernst
(born in 1868) later joined the business. After his father retired in 1899, the company was moved to a newly built factory in Kronach. August died in 1908. Ernst Alboth himself had two children: son Willy (who later joined his father in the company) and daughter Erna. Eran married the a Munich banker Georg Kaiser, in 1922 and he soon joined Ernst Alboth as manager of the business. In 1923 Erna then gave birth to their son, Hubertus Kaiser. After the death of Ernst Alboth in 1927, Willy Alboth
and Georg Kaiser changed the name of the company to "AL-KA", a combination of the first two letters of each family surname. By 1961 the company was run only by Willy Alboth and Hubertus Kaiser, they had relocated in to Staffelstein. In the late 1960's the company focused their business on exporting their wares and once again changed the company name, "Kaiser-Porzellan." To commemorate the United States 200th birthday Kaiser-Porzellan created a limited edition run of 200 bald eagle figurines,
they presented then President Reagan with the #1 marked figurine. They suffered through some tough financial times but always bounced back but in 2003 they were bought out by "Porzellan Design Bad Staffelstein GmbH & Co." Alboth and Kaiser marks are a variation of those shown above |
  American Limoges Triumph Shape - Sebring Pottery - 2 Different Marks | This is the mark that is on the 2 bowls American Limoges Triumph - Sebring Pottery - Vermillion Rose. (American) Limoges China Company, Sebring, Ohio - 1900 until 1955. They started out as Sterling China, then the
name was changed to Sebring China Company. But this didn't work well because there was already a Sebring China Company. So then the name was changed to Limoges China Company. They also used the name Lincoln China Comapny, by using more than one name a company could give an "exclusive" dealership to more than one customer in the same town. This was a fairly common practice. In the 40's Limoges of France threatened a lawsuit so the American company added "American" to their name. In the
1940's, Salem China Co., Sebring Pottery and American Limoges were all under the same management and all three companies had the same designer. Therefore, there were duplications in patterns and designs. There are quite a few marks for this company. A few words that you might see in a mark are; "peach-blo", "glo-peche", "blue willow", "candle-light", "triumph", "casino",
"Jiffy" and a picture of a fat chef, "peasantware", "Royal Maxarine", Made in U.S.A. Sebring, Ohio, Blue Willow, etc. but most all of the marks will have "Limoges", "Made In USA" in it. Manhattan, Diana and Triumph are the names of shapes. |
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 American Belleek Porcelain and Irish
Belleek
| American Belleek can trace its beginning back to Philadelphia and the Centennial Exhibition of 1876. A display of very thin, light-weight glazed Irish Belleek drew much attention public. This interest resulted in a number of efforts to produce Belleek in this country in the following ten to fifteen years. Upon learning that American manufacturers were trying to
perfect the new porcelain, and facing uncertain economic times at home, a few of the original Irish Belleek workers traveled to America. They went from factory to factory assisting the Americans wherever they needed to get the quality desired for their American Belleek patterns. These first examples of American Belleek were exact replicas of the Irish Belleek, possibly even daintier. Soon, however, American Belleek branched out in new directions, incorporating Oriental, Indian, French,
Dutch and countless other designs and combinations. The Willets Manufacturing Company started manufacturing Belleek in 1879 with the help of the traveling Irish artisans. The firm became so proficient that it was soon competing with Limoges, Dresden, and other foreign companies. Their wares included small picture frames, openwork bottles, pitchers and items similar to the Irish wares. The company went into receivership in 1909. There is some history to indicate that they attempted to operate for a while longer but finally gave it up in 1912. In 1882, the Trenton, New Jersey firm of Ott and Brewer (established 1867) developed their Belleek ware through the efforts of William Bromley, an Irishman, and Walter Scott Lenox, a native of Trenton. Among many wares, they made cups and saucers so delicate that a set of one dozen weighed barely a pound. They discontinued operations in 1893. In 1889, Walter Lenox — in partnership with Jonathan Coxon — founded the Ceramic Art Company (C.A.C.) in Trenton. This company sold large quantities of china blanks to professional and amateur artists as well as producing art pieces. They had a hugh success at the World's Colombian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago where they displayed a Belleek vase resembling porcelain bisque into which one of their lady artisians had carved intricate designs of flowers and children with a jacknife. Knowles, Taylor and Knowles began manufacturing a Belleek type porcelain which they called Lotus Ware after 1889. It was extremely expensive to manufacture and not much in demand at that time so they ceased producing Lotus Ware in 1896. Belleek porcelain was also produced by another Trenton firm, the Columbian Art Pottery (also known as Morris & Wilmore, established 1876), beginning in 1893. The firm operated until 1902. By the early 1900's the C.A.C./Lenox company was a successful manufacturer of table service china. During this period many other specialized and art type C.A.C. Belleek items were discontinued to allow for further expansion into the manufacture of this dinner ware. In 1906, Walter Scott Lenox reorganized C.A.C. into Lenox, Inc. and, with potters brought from the Ireland Belleek factory, manufactured the Belleek-type china until 1930. Since so many companies produced American Belleek porcelain there are a variety of marks but most if not all do say Belleek. Irish Belleek - Began in 1857 and is still in production. Their wares are well marked and each mark denotes a different period in their production. This is a good Irish Belleek page. Here are some photos of American Belleek and Irish Belleek Marks |  American Terra Cotta Company / Gates Potteries - Teco Mark
| American Terra Cotta Company or Teco - McHenry County, Ill. 1901 -
1960 (terra cotta production ceased). This company was started by William D. Gates to make architectural terra cotta and an art pottery he called "Teco." Over 500 shapes of this pottery were made by Mr. Gates and his designer's. Teco ware was made in relatively plain shapes and usually with relief designs, the glaze was a matte finish in an unusual greenish tint. Teco production ended in the 1920's. Teco was shown at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904 by Gates Potteries. In 1930 The American
Terra Cotta and Ceramic Co. was sold and called the American Terra Cotta Corporation, they began making architectural products. Shortly there after they began making steel and as far as I know this production continues today under the name Terra Cotta Industries, Inc. You can see a catalog of a few of the Teco wares on this website, http://www.tecopottery.info click on the catalog link. Other marks are Wm. D. Gates, American Terra Cotta and variations on the Teco mark | Anchor Marks | There were several companies that had marks or backstamps shaped like anchors. A few that I have found are; Anchor Pottery,
Ernst Bohne & Sons & Samson. | Anchor Pottery | Anchor Pottery, Trenton, New Jersey; 1893 - 1926. The company was sold to Fulper Pottery in 1926 for Fulper they supposedly produced items that were used as give away premiums for the Grand Union Tea
Company. The Anchor Pottery marks may include only the word Anchor, J.E.N., and a circle; the preceding and the word Berlin; an anchor and A.P.; a double lion crest with AP in between the lions, Ironstone China above and warranted below; the word morning glory; the word Paris; as well as any combination or the above. | | |
|  Ardalt Inc.
| Ardalt Inc. - New York, 1945 - ? - I think that Ardalt was an import company. The double A mark of Ardalt, was registered by ARDALT Inc. Corp., 95 Madison AVE., New York and first used in 1945. On some pieces you will see the trademark 'Lenwile' which was also registered by ARDALT Inc., in 1945 for use on figurines and statuettes. Both marks have been used on Japanese pieces. I have seen the Ardalt name on pieces made in Japan as well as pieces made in other
countries. I am not sure when they went out of business. There are a variety of Ardalt marks including paper and foil labels, with and without the double A mark. | Arzberg Bavaria Germany Porcelain Mark | Lehmann & Rossberg, 1890-circa 1898, operated a porcelain factory producing household and decorative porcelain, coffee and tea sets. About 1898 Rossberg left the factory which changed its name to Porzellanfabrik Theodor Lehman (Porcelain Factory Theodor Lehmann)
Porcelain Factory Theodor Lehmann, circa 1898 - 1904. It was acquired by Porcelain Factory Schonwald in Schonwald and became its Department Arzberg, 1904-1927.
After Porcelain Factory Schonwald was taken over by Porcelain Factory Kahla in Kahla, the company's name became Porzellanfabrik Arzberg (Porcelain Factory Arzberg)
Porcelain Factory Arzberg, 1927 - present. This name was kept when Porcelain Factory Kahla merged with Hutschenreuther AG in Selb in 1972.
|    Atlas China Company - New York
| This mark on the far left is on the Atlas China we have for sale. The Atlas China Company mark shown here was used on dinnerware in the 1920 - 1930s. Atlas China Company NY, NY 1918 to ??. Started by Samuel Bernthal and Nathan Zank. As of 1988 Atlas China was still in business producing collector's plates. They were located in Great
Neck, NY and the company was being run by Bernard W. Bernthal, the son of one of the founders. A 1952 Atlas China advertisement in the publication, Crockery and Glass Journal Directory, listed them as the producers of Grandma Moses plates, Charles Addams cartoons, Currier and Ives wall plates, a Dickens series and much more. A couple of the other Atlas China marks say "Finetone" or "Bern Tan" and just "Atlas". |
| |   Atlas China Company - Niles, Ohio
| Atlas China Company of Niles, Ohio
which was started around 1901. In 1926 this Atlas China Company merged with Globe Pottery of Cambridge Ohio and created Atlas Globe China Company. This company ceased to exist around 1934. Lineage for this company: Bradshaw China Company Crescent China Company (Niles, Ohio) Atlas China Company (Niles, Ohio) Atlas Globe China Company Universal Potteries. The above mark on the far left photograph is courtesy of World of Antiques,
next mark courtesy of Pamela a helpful shop visitor. | Atlas Globe China Company | Atlas Globe China Company, Cambridge, Ohio 1925 to 1934. The Atlas Globe China Company marks also say: "Love Bird", "Broadway Rose" with the initials A-G. Co. and "Victoria
Dinnerware". See the history for Bradshaw China for full details. |  Bavaria Winterling Mark: Bavaria Winterling Germany Mark
This history includes H&C Bavaria, H&C Bavaria Selb and several other Bavaria marks and backstamps | Bavaria Winterling Germany Mark This mark is on a teaset that we have for sale. There are/were several Winterling factories and I
do not have photos of all the marks but here is a brief rundown: Winterling Feinkeramik (Winterling Fine China) Bruchmuhlbach Germany; 1970 - ? (this mark is a W with a crown over it Winterling and the company name beneath): Winterling & Co., Bohemia, 1937 - 1945; was previously Karlsbad Porcelain Factory Concordia; became nationalize in 1945 and merged with the former Count Thun's Porcelain Factory in Klosterle.: Heinrich & Winterling, United States, circa
1940; was an importer for Heinrich & Co. in Selb, Winterling in Marktleuthen and Roeslau, Oscar Schaller & Co. (this mark is "Senta"): Gebruder Winterling Porzellanfabrik, Bavaria, 1906-1970: (this mark is a crown with a wreath, with an R below the crown and Bavaria): Heinrich Winterling, Marktleuthen - 1903-?; previously Dreschsel & Strobel (1898-1903) then became Porzellanfabrik Heinrich Winterling (this mark is 1)a wreath with a W in the center, 2) a crown above and Bavaria below, another mark is a stylized W with a crown above it used 1934 onward, 3)this mark is a W with a crown over it Winterling and the city & company name beneath, 4) HW ML Bavaria, 5) Lore )
This all culminated into... The Winterling Porcelain Factories Distributing Company, a distributing organization formed after World War I for the factories of the Winterling Group. Eschenbach in an oval with Bavaria beneath, as well as Eschenbach text are the marks used now. Bavaria China - including H&C Bavaria China; Heinrich Selb Bavaria; Imperial H&Co. Selb Bavaria and most other Bavaria marks and backstamps. The H&C Bavaria Company has been in operation
since about 1896 and as far as I know is still in production, though most of what is found in North America dates from before the First World War. The plates currently sell at auction in the $15.00 - $50.00 range each. Bavaria was an important pottery and china production center in Germany, similar to the Staffordshire district in England. However, very little of the production from this area was imported into this country until after 1870. In the 19th century, the mark often included
the word Bavaria. After 1871, the words Bavaria, Germany were used. The term "Bavaria" covers the products of several companies operating there and it is sometimes difficult to find history on these companies since many were very small and have not been in operation for a very long period of time. Price is based a great deal on the quality of the piece and the subject of any handpainting or design work. Various Bavaria
Germany & Selb Marks Some of these pieces also have the mark Stouffer China - Please see the Stouffer China History This is ALL of the information I currently have on this subject. Please post any questions to our bulletin board and maybe one of our customer's will have further information. If I do gain new knowledge I will certainly post it on this page. Here
is a fabulous page for Bavarian, Czech and other related marks - Bohemian and Czech Porcelain Resource | Bradshaw China Company | Bradshaw China Company Niles, Ohio was started in the very early
1900's. They made dinnerware, novelties and misc. dishes. F.H. Sebring owned the company, he also owned the Sebring Pottery Company. The company was sold in 1921 to A.O.C. Ahrendts and operated under the name of Crescent China Company for a short period of time then the name was change to Atlas China since the Sebrings were already operating a Crescent China Company in Ohio. In 1925 two of the companies owned by Ahrendts merged - Atlas and Globe thus creating Atlas-Globe China Company.
The two potteries were in different towns and continued to operate in their respective towns. In the 1930's another reorganization took place and the Universal Potteries, Inc. came into existence. Lineage for this company: Bradshaw China Company, Crescent China Company (Niles, Ohio), Atlas China Company (Niles, Ohio), Atlas Globe China Company, Universal Potteries I don't currently have a photo
of this mark. From what I have seen is says "Shaw Trade Mark" |
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Georges Briard | Despite the previous information I had on here, George Briard was a real person and created numerous wares of all types of during his long life. He passed away just a few years ago while living in the New York City area. |
 Buffalo Pottery (China) Mark
| Buffalo Pottery, Buffalo, New York 1901 to ??. Most of the early Buffalo Pottery was stamped with a date. And prior to 1940 the mark included the customer's name. This particular mark was used from 1964 to the 1980's. Buffalo Pottery had a variety of marks that they used at different times during their production and on various types of wares. |
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| |  Capo di Monte Mark
| One of the earliest marks used on Capo di Monte before the factory was moved from
Naples, was the fleur-de-lis. On wares produced during the Spanish period the marks were various forms of the letters R F and F R F, topped with a crown. When the factory was returned to Naples, the initials were discontinued, and the letter N was used with or without the crown. |  Cardinal China Company Mark
| The Cardinal China Company or Carteret
China Company was in operation in Carteret, New Jersey from the late 1940's to the early to mid 1960's. Cardinal China Co. was a distributor who used their own marks on cookie jars and other decorative pieces. They had several retail shops and showrooms thoughout the USA. The mark shown above was used since 1948. |  Cash Family Pottery / Clinchfield Artware Pottery
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Clinchfield Artware Pottery aka Cash Family Pottery started in Erwin Tennessee in 1945 & was still in operation in the late 1980's. It was founded by Ray & Pauline Cash. They created handpainted semi-porcelain wares such as bowls, pitchers and vases. Their molds were purchased from the Southern Potteries when they liquidated, so the look is similar to Southern Pottery goods. In 1984 the Cash Family sold the pottery
company and that company is now making lamp bases and statuary. The marks are as shown above. | Celebrate Mark | "Celebrate" - is an import mark for a particular line of china supplied by RS Prussia. This is according to the book of Capers on RS Prussia. |
 Cleminson Pottery Mark
| Cleminson
Pottery was produced from 1941 until 1963. Cleminson Pottery was a Southern California pottery company started by George & Betty Cleminson, in their garage, and began with a pie bird created by Betty. From the pie birds Betty then branched out into other kitchenware items such as string holders, match holders, spoon rests, canisters and the like. All of these items were handpainted by Betty Cleminson. In 1943, Cleminson Pottery outgrew the garage and a factory was constructed which
employed 50 people. One of the most successful products manufactured in the new plant was a line of tableware called "Distlefink". Distlefink features a bird motif in a Pennsylvania German style. A number of giftware items were added to the line with many incorporating homey hand-lettered phrases. Heidi Schoop worked on a free lance basis for the Cleminson Pottery after her own factory burned in 1958. By the early 1960's the Cleminson's could no longer compete price wise with the imported
Japanese wares, so instead of compromising their quality and good name they closed the factory in 1963. Marks include the one shown above, a variation is one without the children on either side, Betty Cleminson's incised monogram and the special lines such as Distlefink and Galagray had their own mark that was also stamped. |   Colclough China Ltd and HJ Colclough
| This firm started as HJ Colclough 1897-1937, in Longton England. They produced fine china. Marks used: HJC England; Royal Vale; HJC L; Vale China with a crown above was used from the late 1920's until the close; the mark above with a globe a lion inside the globe and a crown above with HJC L was used from the 1908 - 1928. It became Colclough China Ltd. in 1937 - 1948 and used the marks Colclough; Vale and Royal Vale. Most of these marks had the text Bone China as well. From 1948 - 1954 the company operated as Booth's & Colclough and the marks used were: Blue Mist; Malvern Chinaware; Royal Swan; Colclough; Colclough China. In 1955 Colclough became part of Ridgway Potteries Ltd. |  Colonial Pottery Company
| East Liverpool, Ohio 1903-1929. The Colonial Pottery Company moved into the Colonial Pottery Building, which was occupied by Wallace & Chetwynd until their company dissolved in 1903, where they produced ironstone and semi-porcelain products. Their products were similar to Crooksville's best china only thicker and it does not have the Crooksville China Companies ring. Many of the products produced by the Colonial Pottery Company have a great deal of gold trim and very pretty old decaled decorations.
Source:Lehner's Encyclopedia of U.S. Marks on Pottery, Porcelain & Clay | Crescent China Company | Crescent China Company - Alliance, Ohio 1920 - 1926. It was built by one of the Sebring brothers and in 1926 was sold to Leigh Potters or Leigh Pottery Company. They are semi-porcelain decaled over glaze dinnerware. They made a shape named Martha Washington which is square with rounded edges, it is marked as such. There is also an Indian pattern piece called "Indian Tree." All of the marks I have seen have the Crescent China Company name in it or say Crescent China. Some have a
crescent shaped moon. | Crescent Pottery | Crescent Pottery, Trenton, New Jersey 1881-1907 and 1924 - See Trenton Pottery for history. It was not unusual for companies to go idle for a period of time then reopen but I cannot find when the shut down again, probably sometime after the merge with Trenton Potteries. Crescent made white granite ware or ironstone and cream colored ware as well as sanitary bathroom wares.
Crescent Pottery marks are varied some say "Cook & Hancock" with the pattern name; the name Crescent in a globe between two lions; Utopia Crescent with a variety of text; Melloria, Dainty, Severn all on a shield. | Crest Studio | Crest Studios, New York City - 1950 to present. This is a china decorating firm. They either purchase blanks or are sent blanks from manufacturer's and they paint them. You will see other marks along with the Crest Studio mark. Most of what they paint is from by Pickard, Inc. |  Cronin China Company Mark
| Cronin China Company was located in Minerva, Ohio 1934 to 1956. The Cronin China Co. produced a nice grade of semi-porcelain dinnerware. Their
mark history is difficult to track according to Lois Lehner's Book. Some of the marks noted are: Hamilton Ross; Pottery Guild; the letter C inside of a wreath; Bake Oven; Sevilla; Floriesta China Co. Hermitage China Co. and other marks with Cronin in the mark. |  Delphine China
| This mark is from the Newfoundland Hotel plate we have for sale. Thanks to a visitor to my shop I now have this information - Delphine Bone China. J H Middleton & Co. (1889 - 1941) manufactured under this name. The specific mark was used between 1930 and 1941. This was an English company.
|  Elfinware Germany
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mark found on Dresden like porcelain that was sold in dime stores and gift shops mainly during the 1940's. Many pieces of Elfinware are decorated with raised flowers. The mark was registered by Breslauer-Underberg, Inc., of New York City in 1947. These folks were importers and imported a wide variety of giftware items. |
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ERPHILA - Ebeling & Reuss Philadelphia | Ebeling & Reuss was an importer of high quality giftware and distributor to the North American market. The firm operated from Philadelphia around 1886 and later relocated to Devon, Pennsylvania where it was still active until the late 1990s. Ebeling and Reuss was a major supplier of porcelain figures and teapots to
shops in North Eastern United States. It imported a wide variety of good, including many animal figures. The company's import volume peaked in the late 1940s/50s, George Ebeling being a long time manager of the firm in the middle of the 20th Century. The firm imported its wares from many factories, including German firms of Furstenburg Porcelain from Furstenburg, Geobel Porcelain from
Redental, Heinrich & Company from Selv, and Carl Schumann Porcelain from Bavaria. It also imported goods from Ditmar Urbach in Teplitz, Czechoslovakia. Erphila was derived from the 'E' in Ebeling, 'R' in Reuss, and 'Phila' from Philadelphia. The most common backstamp was 'Erphila-Germany'. | Welmar Mark in a shield Fasolt & Eichel and C. & E. Carstens | Blankenhain, Thuringia Germany presently German Democratic Republic - Fasolt and Eichel started the factory in 1856 to circa 1918. They produced table ware porcelain, coffee and tea sets, washtand sets and decorative porcelain. Their mark was Welmar in a
shield. Their successors were the Bros. Carstens who changed the name of the company to Blankenhainer Porzellanfabrik C & E Carstens. They remained in production until 1945. After WWII the company was nationalized and renamed, VEB Porzellanwerk "Weimar Porzellan" and stayed in production under the new name until circa 1975. Their mark has the name on it. |
 Fraureuth Porcelain Mark - Germany | Fraureuth Porcelain Mark - German Porcelain. We
have several very beautiful pieces of this German porcelain. Have not been able to find much history on this company ... yet but here is what I do have. The Fraureuth Germany Factory produced fine porcelain pieces from 1896 to 1935. The mark shown is from the Fraureuth porcelain that we have for sale. |
  French China Company aka F.C.Co - We have this in the shop in the Martha Washington pattern | French China Company, Sebring, Ohio. Founded late 1899 - 1932. In 1916 they became part of the Sebring Manufacturing Co. (French China Co., Saxon China Co. & Sebring were all
consolidated under one management). Each plant retained their original name. In 1932 the Saxon China Co. also went out of business. Around 1934, the Saxon China Co. opened as the French-Saxon China Company. This company expanded and improved, they produced semi-porcelain dinnerware and various accessory pieces. In 1964, Royal China Co. purchased them. The above marks were used by the French China Company on semi-porcelain dishes during the years it was in business. There is a mark that
says only Martha Washington, that was used for only 1 month during early 1916. |
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| *Sources used: Lehner's Encyclopedia of U.S. Marks on Pottery, Porcelain & Clay; Jack Chipman California Pottery ; Kovel's Marks |
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