Some Major American Cut Glass Factories

Famous American cut glass factories of the 1800s and early 1900s are listed here, along with their locations, dates of operation, and marks. Factory Location Dates of Operation Mark J.D. Bergen Company Meriden, Connecticut 1886-1913 Clark Hatch & Clark T. B. Clark & Company, Inc. Honesdale, Pennsylvania 1884-1885 1885-1927 O.F. Egginton Company Corning, New York […]

Dating Your Pressed Glass

Knowing pressed glass styles will help date a piece of pressed glass. There are exceptions to every rule, but patterns typically went in cycles, just as skirt lengths do. 1820s‑1830s: Early patterns were simple, with heavy loops or ribbed effects. The glass itself was heavy, with a translucent appearance. 1830s‑1840s: Lacy patterns had stippled backgrounds […]

Decoration Basics

There are many ways to decorate glass. Here are some of the variations of the basic methods. Applied decoration: Glassmakers can add blobs of hot glass to shaped pieces. Lily-pad, Looping, Prunts, and Threading have been used for centuries. Offhand or tooled decoration: Ruffled edges, air twisted or knopped stems, pinched waists, and neck rings […]

Twentieth-Century Metal and Jewelry Designers

This table lists by country the maker or factory, location, date, mark, and other information about metal and jewelry designers of the twentieth century. Parentheses enclose the birth and death dates of the artist. Other dates given are approximate working dates of the factory or artist. The names of workers or designers connected with jewelry […]

Nineteenth-Century Jewelry and Metalwork Designers and Manufacturers

This table lists the maker, date, mark, and other information about jewelry designers of the nineteenth century. Parentheses enclose the birth and death dates of the artist. Other dates given are approximate working dates of the factory or artist. The names of other workers or designers connected with the factory are also in parentheses. Only […]

Famous Firsts in Jewelry

Important dates and events in the Jewelry industry to help you date your piece. Date Event 1798 18K used to mark gold in England 1840 Gold and silver electroplating developed 1840-1900 C-hook catch extends beyond edge of brooch 1849 Opals discovered in Australia 1850 Tube-shaped (trombone) brooch catch 1854 9K, 12K, 15K gold used in […]

Marks on Mason Ware

Date Mark Miles Mason mark printed on porcelain (c.1800-1816) G.M. & C.J. Mason mark, usually printed (c.1813-1854) G.M & C.J. Mason mark transfer-printed on ironstone (after 1823) Charles James Mason & Company mark printed on ironstone (1829-1845)

Belleek Marks

Belleek Pottery Company mark (1863-1891) Ott & Brewer belleek mark (c.1883-1894) Knowles, Taylor and Knowles belleek mark (1889+) Knowles, Taylor and Knowles lotus ware mark (1891-c.1898) Willets Manufacturing Company mark (1879-1912+) Ceramic Art Company mark (1894-1906)

Decorations Can Help Date Dishes

The type of decoration on a dish can also give a general hint about its age. Decoration Date Blue or black transfer designs End of 18th century Green, pink, or brown transfer designs c.1830 Flow blue— a dark, blurry decoration 1830-early 1900s Golden sponged edging with blue Late 19th century Hand-painted plates 1870-1900 Plain gold […]

English Registry Marks

Table 1
Mark “A”
Year the Design Was Registered—1842-1867
A – 1845	J – 1854	S – 1849
B – 1858	K – 1857	T – 1867
C – 1844	L – 1856	U – 1848
D – 1852	M – 1859	V – 1850
E – 1855	N – 1864	W – 1865
F – 1847	O – 1862	X – 1842
G – 1863	P – 1851	Y – 1853
H – 1843	Q – 1866	Z – 1860
I – 1846	R – 1861

 

Table 2
Mark “B”
Year the Design Was Registered—1868-1883
A – 1871	I – 1872	U – 1874
C – 1870	J – 1880	V – 1876
D – 1878	K – 1883	W – March 1-6, 1878
E – 1881	L – 1882	X – 1868
F – 1873	P – 1877	Y – 1879
H – 1869	S – 1875	S – 1875

 

Table 3
Mark “A” or “B”
Month of the Year the Design Was Registered
A – December	H – April
B – October	I – July
C or O – January	K – November (and December 1860)
D – September	M – June
E – May	R – August (and September 1-19, 1857)
G – February	W – March
Table 4
Type of Material or Class
I	Metal
II	Wood
III	Glass
IV	Ceramics
V	Paper hangings
VI	Carpets
VII	Printed shawls
VIII	Other shawls
IX	Yarn
X	Printed fabrics
XI	Furniture
XIIi	Other fabrics
XIIii	Damasks
XIII	Lace
TABLE 5
Mark “C”
Year the Design Was Registered—1884-2000
1884		1
1885		20,000
1886		40,800
1887		64,700
1888		91,800
1889		1,17,800
1890		1,42,300
1891		1,64,000
1892		1,86,400
1893		2,06,100
1894		2,25,000
1895		2,48,200
1896		2,68,800
1897		2,91,400
1898		3,11,677
1899		3,32,200
1900		3,51,600
1930		7,51,160
1950		8,60,854
2000		20,89,200