More Confusing Marks on Blue Decorated Pottery

More new marks on blue transferware can be found on the market. The new mark in Fig. 2 is the only one of the three shown that is a direct copy of a known original company, T. Rathbone Newfield Pottery, Tunstall, England. We couldn't find any old counterparts to the new marks in Figs. 5 and 6.

Although Staffordshire County, England has been a center of pottery making since the 18th century, the word "Staffordshire" was rarely included in company names before the second quarter of the 20th century. Staffordshire is a geographic area, not a specific company. "Staffordshire" does, however, appear frequently in company names used as marks on reproductions.

Genuine old marks are much more likely to include one of the six principle pottery-making cities of Staffordshire county which include Tunstall, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Fenton, Hanley and Longton. Any mark that includes the word "Staffordshire" in the company name should be examined very carefully.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Figs. 1-3 Fig. 1 is a new flow-blue styled pitcher with gold trim. One of a graduated set of four pitchers, 6″ to 12″ tall. Decorated with Art Nouveau styled flowers. New pieces have mark shown in Fig. 2 in blue. New mark apparently based on a genuine old mark shown in Fig. 3 of T. Rathbone, Newfield Pottery, Tunstall, England, ca. 1898-1923. The mark shown dates from about 1912. Rathbone made a number of patterns in Flow Blue including Siam, Burmese, Clive, Norah, Japan, Trentham, Princess. The pattern on the new pitcher is a close, but not exact, match for the original Trentham pattern.

Fig. 4 New doll-sized Flow Blue teapot, part of a tea set including cups, saucers, sugar and creamer. Mark in Fig. 5 on bottom.

Fig. 5 New mark on Fig. 4. No old counterpart known. Mark has been seen in two colors: one gold, the other blue.

Fig. 6 This new mark found on a pitcher and bowl. Black transfer. No exact match found; vaguely similar to many vintage marks using a crown.