Country guide

Burslem pottery marks

Burslem is one of the six pottery towns of Stoke-on-Trent and is often called the Potteries’ mother town. BURSLEM on a base is a place statement shared by many manufacturers. It can sit below a company monogram, inside a circular trade mark or beside a works name. Middleport, Cobridge and individual factory names add more local detail.

Identify a mark Marks Key makers Look-alikes Browse pottery & porcelain

Key makers’ marks

13 marks

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. From 1867

thepotteries.org

Macintyre & Co

c. From 1867

Macintyre JM & Co BURSLEM ENGLAND

This mark was used throughout the company’s operation.

Burslem, England

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. 1880–1889

theoldstuff.com

Royal Doulton

c. 1880–1889

Burslem Doulton England ca. 1880s

Burslem, England

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. 1890–1900

thepotteries.org

Hollinshead & Kirkham (Ltd)

c. 1890–1900

H & K late Wedgwood

earthenware · Burslem Tunstall, England

Printed or impressed; introduced when Hollinshead & Kirkham took over Wedgwood & Co’s Unicorn Pottery.

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. From 1891

thepotteries.org

New Wharf Pottery Co

c. From 1891

MELROSE NEW WHARF POTTERY ENGLAND

earthenware · Burslem, England

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. 1899–1937

thepotteries.org

J Sadler & Sons

c. 1899–1937

ENGLAND J. S. S. B.

printed, impressed · Burslem, England

JSSB denotes James Sadler & Sons, Burslem.

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. 1907–1910

thepotteries.org

Wood & Son (s, Ltd)

c. 1907–1910

Wood & Sons England

Wood & Sons England c.1907-10

Burslem, England

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. 1913–1928

bluecherryantiques.co.uk

Moorcroft

c. 1913–1928

W. Moorcroft; MOORCROFT / BURSLEM / ENGLAND (impressed, partly obscured)

Full painted signature with impressed BURSLEM separates this early independent format from Macintyre Florian Ware and the later royal stamp.

painted and impressed · pottery · Burslem / Cobridge, Staffordshire, England

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. From 1934

thepotteries.org

Price Bros (Burslem) Ltd

c. From 1934

Athlo Ware Price Bros Burslem England Sports & Pastimes

earthenware · Burslem, England

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. From 1935

thepotteries.org

J Maddock & Sons (Ltd)

c. From 1935

Embassy Maddock Made in England

Burslem, England

+ John Maddock & Sons used a range of marks, often including a or lion or sometimes both

Burslem pottery marks mark, c. From 1974

thepotteries.org

Gibson & Sons (Ltd)

c. From 1974

A TAUNTON VALE COMPANY GIBSON STAFFORDSHIRE ENGLAND

earthenware · Burslem, England

+ the Howard Pottery group (which Gibson was a part of ) was purchased by Tauton Vale in

thepotteries.org

Burgess & Leigh

Undated

B&L Burslem

England, United Kingdom

Clarence is the pattern name. Registration numbers belonging to E. J. D. Bodley suggest production under arrangement with Bodley.

thepotteries.org

Dunn, Bennett & Co

Undated

D B & Co

England, United Kingdom

thepotteries.org

T & R Boote

Undated

Patent Mosaic T & R Boote

Burslem, England

The Royal Arms were sometimes included in Boote’s Victorian marks.

About Burslem pottery marks

The town’s businesses made very different wares. Josiah Wedgwood began independently at Burslem in 1759 before developing other sites. Doulton’s Burslem operation began in 1877, producing tableware and art pottery distinct from its Lambeth history. Burgess & Leigh moved to Middleport in 1889 and used Burleigh trade names on decorated earthenware. Wood & Sons supplied another large range of tablewares.

Art-pottery signatures form a further branch. William Moorcroft worked at Macintyre’s Washington Works before opening his independent Cobridge factory in 1913. A Macintyre company stamp and a Moorcroft signature can describe the earlier collaboration; a later Moorcroft factory impression belongs to a different business period. Read the signature and the company wording together.

Other Burslem makers used crowns, Staffordshire knots, beehives, globes and royal-arms designs. The emblem’s accompanying initials are essential because these frames were widely shared. A pattern name, export retailer, registration number or establishment date can also appear. Record each separately rather than turning the town or a prominent historic date into a maker identification.

How to read the marks

Copy BURSLEM and the full works name, then read the smaller company initials.

Distinguish B&L, B.D.&Co., J.S.S.B. and other abbreviated identities by their exact lettering.

Separate the pattern name from the factory name inside or below the emblem.

Compare Doulton Burslem wording with Lambeth marks rather than combining the two sites.

For Moorcroft, inspect the painted signature and impressed factory or place lines together.

Photograph every separate stamp and number; establishment and registration dates have different meanings.

Key makers

Doulton, Burslem / Royal Doulton

Nile Street, Burslem, England · Burslem operation from 1877; Royal Doulton name from 1901.

Tableware, art pottery and figures.

Burgess & Leigh / Burleigh

Burslem; Middleport Pottery, England · Business origins 1851; Middleport works from 1889.

Decorated earthenware and transfer-printed tableware.

Josiah Wedgwood

Ivy House Works, Burslem, later other Staffordshire sites · Independent Burslem business from 1759.

Creamware and ornamental ceramic bodies, followed by a broad tableware business.

James Macintyre & Co.

Washington Works, Burslem, England · James Macintyre active from 1852; William Moorcroft’s work there preceded his 1913 independent factory.

Industrial and architectural ceramics alongside decorated art pottery.

William Moorcroft

Sandbach Road, Cobridge, Burslem, England · Independent factory established 1913.

Tube-lined and painted art pottery, vases and ornamental wares.

Wood & Sons

Burslem, Staffordshire, England · Business from 1865; successive company forms continued into the 20th century.

Earthenware tableware and ornamental pottery.

Look-alikes & fakes

Burslem and the wider Staffordshire district

BURSLEM names a town, not one factory. Other Staffordshire towns and factories used many of the same crowns and regional devices.

Macintyre and independent Moorcroft

A painted Moorcroft signature can accompany an earlier Macintyre stamp. Compare the company stamp and impressed wording before assigning the independent-factory period.

Doulton Lambeth

Lambeth and Burslem were separate production sites with different histories and wares. Read the place wording instead of treating every Doulton mark as Burslem.

Later branded imports

A historic Staffordshire brand can appear on later goods made elsewhere. Read the actual country statement; MADE IN INDIA on a later James Sadler piece is separate from the brand’s Burslem history.