Factory marks are the symbols, names, initials or numbers applied to ceramics and other manufactured goods to identify the factory that produced them. On porcelain and pottery they may be painted, printed, impressed or incised on the base, either under or over the glaze.
Some of the best-known marks belong to the great European porcelain factories, such as the crossed swords of Meissen, the interlaced Ls of Sèvres, the anchor of Chelsea, the crowned D of Derby and the crescent of early Worcester. Later nineteenth-century factories like Minton, Wedgwood and Royal Worcester used marks that changed over time, often with date codes that allow pieces to be dated precisely. British wares from 1842 to 1883 may carry a diamond-shaped registration mark, followed by registered numbers. The word England was added to many exports after 1891, with Made in England appearing more commonly in the twentieth century. Marks are a useful guide but never conclusive, as famous marks have been widely copied and applied to imitations. Experienced collectors judge the body, glaze, decoration and style first, and use the mark to confirm, rather than establish, an attribution.
