Product Description

Over 1,900 companies with over 8,000 marks, logos, and symbols divided equally among the old folk potters, studio potters, dinnerware manufacturers, distributors, and decoratorsfill this massive hardbound encyclopedia. No values. REVIEW: This thick hardcover book is packed with text and illustrations, the sheer measure of which admittedly took the author nearly a quarter century to research and compile. The book is an indispensable aid for properly identifying pottery, porcelain, and clay pieces. The various manufacturer listings contain paragraphs outlining the history of each company as well as interesting "insider" information. Both the novice and veteran collector can ID their merchandise quickly and easily.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #335508 in Books
• Published on: 1988-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 636 pages

Customer Reviews

The best identification book in my library!!!
This is by far the book I reach for time and time again when I am trying to identify a piece of pottery. Full of useful information and history of the company. This is not meant to be a price guide and it isn't. I have found obscure marks on items in this book when the information hasn't been in any other book. Truly a bible for the collector of pottery made in the USA. Easy to use. Well organized. Super book!

Extensive�BUT Not Easy to Use!
This book has a LOT of information! When you do find what you are trying to research there is extensive information about the company. HOWEVER, the book is not indexed well. The index is down right skimpy. When trying to look-up certain words or wording found in a mark there is no reference to these things in the index. So a tedious process of looking through each page many times insues.

I also would like more dates associated with the marks. I realize this would mean more research on the author's part but that would make the book more valuable to me if I could verify dates more readily. The current way the marks are identified is in paragraph form associating the illustrated mark with a number. Locating these numbers within the paragraphs is difficult and time consuming. It make the research tedious. Thus, this is NOT my first choice reference to go to when trying to identify a new mark.

I would like to see this book updated and improved by doing three things (PUBLISHERS are you listening?)-1) A more comprehensive index, 2) more research on the individual marks (dates associated with each), and typographicly improve the association between marks and comment text about the marks.

And So It Was Done
Years ago I hunted high and low for a book on American ceramic wares, a genre who's time I saw closing fast. It was suggested once that I write one. I am glad I didn't take the challenge as my work would surly have paled severely in contrast to this marvelous, all inclusive work. Lois Lehner gives the subject the depth, scope and respect it deserves. This is 'the book' on American marks on pottery and porcelain its authority is never questioned.