Royal Vienna and the Beehive Mark: Real or Fake?
By www.Marks4Antiques.com
Sheffield Silver Candlesticks
October 20, 2008 – 6:34 pm
Sheffield silver candlesticks: Light on some shady business of the past
By www.Marks4Antiques.com
Chinese Export Porcelain’s fascinating journey from early china
October 10, 2008 – 12:41 pm
Chinese Export Porcelain’s Fascinating Journey from early china
By Lisa Marion of Marks4Antiques
Dating Mexican Silver
October 1, 2008 – 1:40 pm
Mexico’s tradition of magnificent silverwork dates as far back as the 1530s. Mexico has abundant deposits of precious metals, so it was natural that a thriving jewelry and hollowware market would evolve there. But establishing authenticity, purity and age – especially for vintage and antique pieces – can be challenging.
Fake Porcelain Marks: Recognizing Forged or imitation Marks on Ceramics
October 1, 2008 – 1:40 pm
Identifying porcelain is more than just “reading” a mark. It involves careful consideration of many elements to confirm correct age and authenticity.
There are thousands of Porcelain marks and even experienced collectors and antiques dealers can have difficulty in determining whether an item is new, and avoid costly mistakes.
TYPES OF PORCELAIN: Hard Paste, Soft Paste, and Bone China
October 1, 2008 – 1:38 pm
The broad term "ceramics" usually refers to items made of fired clay. Ceramics are further divided in several categories, the primary ones being Earthenware, Stoneware and Porcelain. The main differences in these three are the temperatures at which they are fired in the kiln and the specific composition of their component materials.
Dating Faience Pottery
October 1, 2008 – 1:38 pm
Faience pottery, also known as Fayence in France, is often used as a synonym to Majolica because of their similar appearance and use of tin glaze. Yet, most collectors distinguish Faience pottery by their characteristic polychrome (multi-colored) designs and mostly white background, whereas Majolica tends to have decoration all over along with pronounced raised decorative details (relief).
Sterling & Silver-Plated Antiques
October 1, 2008 – 1:37 pm
In general, the term Sterling Silver is meant to distinguish items that are composed of mostly solid silver as opposed to Silver-Plated that have only a thin surface layer of silver. However, there are several other distinctions, some using terms that can be confusing and often lead to a misunderstanding of an item’s composition and hence its value.
TOBY MUGS & CHARACTER JUGS: Satire in Porcelain
October 1, 2008 – 1:36 pm
The tradition of making Jugs, Pitchers or Mugs in the shape of human figures or faces has its origins in 18thC England. Character Jugs were also made in the Delft region of Holland for a short time, but most known examples were produced by Potteries located in the Staffordshire region of the UK.
