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Masons Ironstone Marks

FACTORY AND REGISTRATION MARKS

In order to identify the factory which produced an item a method of marking by means of a date stamp or Company mark was introduced. This mark would be found on the base of the item and could include such details as the name of the manufacturing company, the year of manufacture or letter or number denoting the year/month, pattern name and logo.

Most ceramic ware which was produced by Masons between 1842 and 1883 bore a diamond-shaped registry mark. This diamond mark would be impressed or printed and would contain both numerals and letters and was indicative that the basic shape or added design had been registered at the Patent Office in London, thus protecting it from copying for a period of three years. The date recorded indicated when the design was introduced but not necessarily when the item was potted. When the word 'England' is found it implies that the item was made in or after 1891. This was so that the Company complied with the American McKinley Tariff which required the country of origin to be marked on all imports to America. The words 'Made in England' imply a date of about 1920 and these marks were in addition to any other factory marks.

INDEX TO YEAR AND MONTH LETTERS
1842-67 1868-83
Year Letter at Top Year Letter at Right
A 1845 N 1864 A 1871 L 1882
B 1858 O 1862 C 1870 P 1887
C 1844 P 1851 D 1878 S 1875
D 1852 Q 1866 E 1881 U 1874
E 1855 R 1861 F 1873 V 1876
F 1847 S 1849 H 1869 W March 1-6
G 1863 T 1867 I 1872 1878
H 1843 U 1848 J 1880 X 1868
I 1846 V 1850 K 1883 Y 1879
J 1854 W 1865
K 1857 X 1842
L 1856 Y 1853
M 1859 Z 1860

MONTHS (BOTH PERIODS)

A DECEMBER K NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 1860
B OCTOBER M JUNE
C OR O JANUARY R AUGUST (AND SEPT 1-9 1857)
D SEPTEMBER W MARCH
E MAY H APRIL
G FEBRUARY I JULY

From 1884 designs were registered by numbers (each starting in January of the year in question).

FACTORY AND REGISTRATION MARKS

In order to identify the factory which produced an item a method of marking by means of a date stamp or Company mark was introduced. This mark would be found on the base of the item and could include such details as the name of the manufacturing company, the year of manufacture or letter or number denoting the year/month, pattern name and logo.

Most ceramic ware which was produced by Masons between 1842 and 1883 bore a diamond-shaped registry mark. This diamond mark would be impressed or printed and would contain both numerals and letters and was indicative that the basic shape or added design had been registered at the Patent Office in London, thus protecting it from copying for a period of three years. The date recorded indicated when the design was introduced but not necessarily when the item was potted. When the word 'England' is found it implies that the item was made in or after 1891. This was so that the Company complied with the American McKinley Tariff which required the country of origin to be marked on all imports to America. The words 'Made in England' imply a date of about 1920 and these marks were in addition to any other factory marks.

INDEX TO YEAR AND MONTH LETTERS

From 1884 designs were registered by numbers (each starting in January of the year in question). Thus:-

This is the system that is still in use today.

Some of the Mason's Factory Marks are produced below.