Marks & Signatures on Antiques and Collectibles

It's easy to date Chanel vintage costume jewelry, which can be quite valuable, once you know how to decipher the company's marks and signatures.

Geschutzt is derived from German and often found on German antiques. Do you know what it means?

Glassware Maker's Marks and Signatures Gallery

Identify your pottery and porcelain pieces with this illustrated marks gallery researched and compiled by your guide.

If you run across a mark reading nickel silver or alpaca on an antique, don't be fooled by these false forms of silver. Find out what they really are here.

Rookwood Pottery Artists Signatures - Marks Used by Various Artists Who Decorated on Rookwood Pottery

You can't pore over auction records and price guides for values if you don’t know exactly what you have and who made it. The Internet offers a wealth of information on sterling silver and silverplated wares. Here are some of the best spots online you assist you in researching silver origins, craftsmen and manufacturer's.

This site includes a fairly comprehensive list of early microscope manufacturers including photographs and specifications where available.

Another excellent site for researching artists and artwork mediums of all types including paintings. A good place to learn about art in general as well.

A great site for researching artists and artwork including paintings.

Trying to research an American furniture manufacturer? Try this useful database for more than 36,000 records searchable by maker name, state, and form of cabinetry or trade. You'll have to register and pay a yearly fee for this one, but it's worth the effort if you're serious about furniture.

Frequently used marks on Capodimonte Italian porcelain.

Great photos on this site illustrate the most frequently seen carnival glass maker's marks.

Don't despair when you discover a piece of jewelry decorated with a Chinese character. Use this handy chart to decipher the meaning instead.

From the Clarice Cliff Collectors website, a list of marks found on this type designer pottery.

An extensive list of marks found on old copper and brass wares from www.oldcopper.org.

Trying to identify a maker's mark on a piece of costume jewelry? Look no more. This comprehensive list, with applicable dating where available, will prove to be a superb research tool.

This dictionary of glass marks doesn't provide more than the name of the company, but it's a good place to begin researching obscure glass marks.

This rendering of a 1962 brochure on Franciscan marks can be most helpful with dating. Even though it is somewhat hard to read, it's still an excellent resource from the Official Franciscan Collectors Web Site.

From the Hall China Collectors Webpage, some of the most common Hall marks.

A useful guide to help you identify and date Hummel figurines.

An excellent illustrated reference for identifying Japanese porcelain.

From About.com's Collectibles Guide Barbara Crews, a pictorial introduction to McCoy Pottery marks.

From Stein Collectors International, a good representation of the marks found on stoneware manufactured by the Mettlach factory of Villeroy and Boch.

A useful resource for dating often-confused wares.

A good overview of the markings used on wares produced by Newcomb College potters.

The reproduction Nippon mark has been perfected so that it can fool even seasoned shoppers. See a comparison of new with old, and learn other features of genuine Nippon porcelain.

From the Pickard Collectors Club, a list of marks ranging from the earliest paper labels to stamps being used by the company today.

Lots of good information resides in this links reference to help you identify and date all types of porcelain, pottery, china and dinnerware.

This site provides a useful resource for researching German porcelain makers.

Marks for Meissen, Worchester, Minton and Limoges wares.

A great reference with many of the different marks found on Quimper pottery and associated dating.

A great reference that shows both genuine and known fake Roseville marks for comparison.

A great reference guide for an overview of British, French and Mexican silver hallmarks.

Learn more about these beautifully detailed European silver items.

An online encyclopedia including the marks and makers information for over 130 manufacturers of sterling, coin silver and silver plate with great illustrations.

This site offering more than 1,000 marks provides an excellent place to begin your silver research.

This extensive list, which includes dating information, will guide you through the vast world of English silver hallmarks.

A fantastic guide to identifying makers of pottery made in the Stoke-on-Trent region of England.