Porcelain marks, also known as porcelain hallmarks, have been used for numerous centuries. Marks on porcelain were done because it was a form of guarantee to the customers who were buying the product that it was created by a certain artist or company. Certain artists and companies were known for higher quality than other artists and companies.Learning about the different porcelain marks of
. Germany is quite useful, as it gives insight into what years the piece is from and helps in estimating the value of any antiques. A collector finds that the mark has great importance, not only because it can trace the manufacturer of any porcelain object, but a collector can also figure out the approximate date it was manufactured and in several cases the exact year of production. Germany is one of the main countries world renowned for it's pottery making.There are many websites devoted to collectors and a full directory of various marks and which companies manufactured them. One of the more excellent sites to find historical data about a certain mark is found at http://www.studiosoft.it/antiqueporcelainmarks.htm. To see a full listing of marks, including pictures to compare with, that were put on porcelain and pottery you can go to http://www.oldandsold.com/pottery/germany1.shtml . Browsing through those websites it can be noted that some of the earliest, most well known, marks were designed in 1720 and continued until 1813. A few of the marks are very tiny while others were quite large. There are other noticeable differences from porcelain mark to other porcelain marks. The markings can be very intricate with detail or very basic.There are many porcelain hallmarks to learn. Taking the time to study the marks listed on the websites listed will help any novice collector to determine the history of any antique piece of pottery or porcelain.More reference links: http://www.studiosoft.it/antiqueporcelainmarks.htm http://www.oldandsold.com/pottery/germany1.shtml
