Porcelain Marks Guide: Identify European and Asian Makers
A guide to porcelain marks: crossed swords, crowns, beehives and reign marks, plus how to separate genuine marks from copies and date your porcelain.
By Ayoub Farid · · 2 min read
Porcelain marks can identify a factory, a decorator and a date range — but they're also the most copied marks in the antiques world. Read them as evidence, not proof.
How porcelain marks are applied
- Underglaze painted marks (often blue): painted before glazing; you'll see the glaze over them.
- Overglaze marks: painted or printed on top of the glaze, sometimes added later by decorators.
- Impressed marks: pressed into the paste.
- Incised marks and numbers: workers' or model numbers.
Famous European marks (and their copies)
- Crossed swords — associated with Meissen. Widely imitated by other factories. See Meissen marks.
- Beehive / shield — often associated with Vienna-style porcelain; very frequently reproduced on decorative pieces.
- Interlaced Ls — associated with Sèvres; also among the most faked marks.
- Crowns, anchors and letters — used by many English and continental factories.
- Limoges — a city with many factories, marks often include "Limoges" and a factory name. See Limoges marks.
A famous mark on a piece with mediocre painting and a rough base is a red flag.
Asian porcelain marks
Chinese porcelain often carries reign marks, which were frequently copied from earlier periods. Japanese porcelain may carry kiln marks, artist signatures or country marks like "Nippon" or "Japan". See Chinese porcelain marks and Made in Occupied Japan.
Decorator vs. factory marks
Some porcelain was made as blanks in one factory and decorated elsewhere. You may see two marks: the blank maker and the decorator. Both matter for identification.
Dating with marks
Factories changed marks over time — adding words, crowns, country names or year codes. Matching your exact mark variant to a reference narrows the date. General clues from wording are in our pottery marks guide.
Check the whole piece
Confirm the mark against:
- Quality of painting and gilding
- Translucency (hold to light)
- Foot rim finish and wear
- Shape and style of the period
Scan it
Photograph the piece and the mark in daylight and scan both with AntiqueIQ for an identification, estimated era and value range. Then compare the mark variant with references.
Frequently asked questions
Does a crossed swords mark mean my piece is Meissen?
Not necessarily. Many factories used similar marks. Quality, paste and details must match.
How can I tell if porcelain is real porcelain?
Porcelain is usually translucent when held to light, rings when gently tapped, and has a fine, glassy body at chips.
What does a blue mark under the glaze mean?
It was applied before glazing, typical of many factory marks. It's harder to add later than an overglaze mark, but still copied.