How Do You Identify Vintage Syracuse China Patterns?
Kovels, a publisher of antiques and collectibles price guides, has a price listing for Syracuse china on its website showing the names of patterns alongside pictures of each representative piece. Collectors may also want to search for Syracuse china on sites such as eBay and Tias.com to see which patterns are the most valuable and how condition affects price. Each plate has a code indicating the date of manufacture, which tells if the plate is vintage.
Onondaga Pottery of Syracuse, New York, created the Syracuse brand. Onondaga, founded in 1871, first made white graniteware, then Imperial Geddo porcelain, and began manufacturing Syracuse china in 1893. The company changed its name to the Syracuse China Company in 1966. It is known for fine dinnerware and restaurant china that is both beautiful and durable.
From May 1895 to September 1903, the date codes were simple incised numbers in sequential order from one to 99. The company once again used incised numbers from one to 99 from October 1903 to December 1911, but the numerals were enclosed within a circle. From January 1912 to June 1919, the manufacturer used incised numbers from one to 90 that were enclosed within a diamond shape. Onondaga used incised numbers from one to nine from July 1919 to December 1919, again enclosed within a diamond.
