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Pottery mark identification app
Compare a pottery or porcelain backstamp with illustrated marks. Start with a close photo, a few readable letters or the symbol on the base of your piece.
Know the maker’s name? Search by name →
1 Photo or what you see → 2 Narrow down → 3 Compare
Type what you see—words, partial letters, symbols, colour or shape. Skip unreadable parts; no maker’s name needed.
Outline or border
Mark colour
Choose the colour of the mark itself.
How the mark was made
Country & period
Your starting point
Start with one clear detail
Use the mark on the base, back or clasp. Add a close photo, type the letters you can read, or choose a symbol. Then compare the small details on the matching marks.
Try a sample search
Read the backstamp
Check the underside for a printed backstamp, an impressed name or painted initials. Keep the crown, wreath or border in the crop. A pattern number beside a stamp is a useful extra detail to compare after finding the maker.
Read the mark, then photograph it
Letters, symbols and borders
Copy the wording exactly, including small words below the name. Separate initials from pattern numbers. Note whether the letters sit in a circle, a shield, a cartouche or no border at all. Look at the direction of an animal, the points of a crown and any objects crossed behind it.
Record the colour of the mark rather than the colour of the object. Blue and green printed backstamps can look similar in dim light. An impressed mark is pressed into the surface; an incised mark is scratched into it. Brush strokes suggest a painted mark, while an even design can be printed.
A close, evenly lit photo
Place the piece beside a window and turn off the flash if it makes a bright reflection. Hold the camera square to the mark. Tap the lettering to focus, then take the photo close enough that the small details remain readable. Keep the whole stamp in the frame.
For a shallow impressed stamp, try light from the side so the grooves cast a small shadow. Photograph shiny metal from a slight angle to avoid reflecting the phone. Crop out most of the surrounding object, but keep nearby punches or letters that belong to the same group.
Browse marks by object
Browse common symbols
Countries & regions
Follow the country wording on your piece, or compare marks from a pottery region.
Popular makers to compare
Search 32,162 illustrated marks from 10,305 makers. Collections include The Potteries, Porcelain Marks & More, PorcelainMarks.eu, The Old Stuff, The Marks Project, Delft Aardewerk, Potteries of Trenton Society, Silver Collection, The Velvet Box Society, Global Gemology, Costume Jewelry Collectors International, Twentieth Century Glass, Great Glass, Glass Bottle Marks and The Cast Iron Collector.
Questions about identifying marks
Is this antique mark identifier free?
Yes. Search by photo, letters and symbols without a login or payment. You can open matching mark images and maker pages to compare wording, shapes and dates.
Can I identify an antique mark by photo?
Upload, drag in or paste a clear photo of the mark, then crop around it. Compare the closest illustrated marks. Add readable letters or a symbol to narrow the results. Photograph the base, back or clasp where the stamp appears.
What if my mark has no letters?
Choose the symbols and outline you see, such as a crown inside an oval or crossed swords with no border. Add the mark colour and how it was made. A close photograph can help you compare a symbol with the illustrated examples.
Can I identify pottery, silver and jewelry marks here?
Choose the object category first. Pottery and china often carry a backstamp or an impressed name. Silver can have several punches in a row. Jewelry may carry a designer stamp beside a metal standard. Compare each part and keep the complete group in view.
How do I date a maker’s mark?
Open the matching mark and compare its wording, border and known period of use. Look for changes in the maker name, address, country wording or logo. Use a date range only when you have a clue from the piece; leaving the period open keeps more candidates available.
What should I type for a worn or partial stamp?
Type what you can see: a word, a few readable letters, a symbol, colour or shape. You don’t need the maker’s name. Leave out unreadable parts; two or more letters can match part of a word. Try a description such as blue anchor, or combine a crown with BAVARIA.
Does the tool identify the whole antique object?
The search compares the mark on an object. Find the stamp, signature, label or logo, then compare its details with a maker’s illustrated marks. The maker page helps you follow changes in that mark over time.