
" West German companies changed their marks to "Made in West Germany." When Germany reunited in 1989, the "Made in Germany " backstamp was reinstated. In 1949, the government of East Germany had their companies use "Made in German Democratic Republic" or "Made in GDR.
However, once " Made in Germany" was stamped on the porcelain, buyers looked for that as a mark of excellence and often preferred it since it typically meant a piece was well designed and well priced.
"Made in Germany" was first used in 1887 as a way to differentiate German porcelain from English porcelain, which was very popular and competitive with British manufacturers. Backstamps can also tell you the year of production, based on the shape of the stamp, and companies changed the stamps often to reflect new ownership or updates. A backstamp can be hand drawn, stamped, or incised (pushed into the ceramic's clay.) The backstamp is generally under the glaze and often represents the company's symbol or name. Backstamps are marks that appear on the underside of a ceramic to identify the manufacturer. A piece may have a certain color, shape or design element that offers a hint to the factory that made it, but the most dependable way to determine if a piece of china is made in Germany is the backstamp. Identifying German china takes research, patience, study, and practice. Values for Hummel figurines can begin at $20, although rare pieces command thousands of dollars. The Goebel backstamps included the name, a crown, the moon, and a bee. Many of the companies founded in the mid-to-late 1800s still produce beautiful German china with well-known names such as Goebel, which was founded in 1871 and is best known for the Hummel figurines of German children. The china made in Germany at this time was designed for the general population rather than for nobility and aristocrats. After large kaolin deposits were discovered in the area of Selb, Bavaria, a new chapter in the history of German porcelain factories began. You can see their backstamps and impressions which include "Made in Germany," "Mettlach," and "V&B", among others.īy the beginning of the 19th century, many of the original German china factories had ceased production. Villeroy & Boch has manufactured porcelain and pottery since the 18 th century, and they are still on the market. The artiFacts website has some excellent examples of the authentic marks. Meissen backstamps take years of study to master since there were many variations of the "crossed swords," and there were even more copies and forgeries. Prices for old Meissen can be extremely high and even smaller pieces can command $3,000 or more. Interestingly, there are no onions in the blue and white design, only stylized asters, peonies, peaches, and pomegranates which were mistaken for onions. Blue Onion by Meissen was produced in the mid-1700s, and it's one of the most copied and reproduced antique china patterns. Part of Meissen's success was the exquisite decorations applied to the pieces by artists such as Johann Horoldt, Johann Kandler, and Michael Victor Acier. For almost a century, Meissen china produced the finest quality porcelain in Europe. porcelain can still be purchased for under $100, although values can also top $1,000 or more. The company made tableware, figurines, and pieces from the 18 th century which were delicately molded and hand painted. The backstamps vary from plain lines to scepters, crowns, and orbs. The company was founded in 1763 by Frederick the Great who was determined that the finest porcelain in the world come from Germany.
Konigliche Porzellan Manufaktur is also known as K.P.M.The backstamp includes a lion or crown, in honor of the royal house. Values tend to be high, and they can commonly reach above $3,000. The figures are recognized by their doll-like faces and arched bases. The factory flourished in the 18 th century, and while some copies of original pieces have been issued, the original Frankenthal factory is no longer in operation. Frankenthal porcelain was founded in 1755 in Frankenthal, Germany and was famous for its elaborate figurines.Many well-known names in the porcelain industry got their start in Germany at that time. Collectible dolls worth money.With the success of Meissen came the opening of dozens of porcelain factories as the rulers of different German states and regions vied to dominate the European and American markets.