General question about patterns

[kidden6968]

I see there is also someone else struggling to find the name of a pattern.      I was going through more boxes yesterday and came across a number of platters and dishes etc.  I am getting better at dating by marks - well at least when they have a name on them  LOL  but really struggling to find pattern names.  I spent hours last night on replacements.com and still didn't find them.

Any other suggestions besides purchasing a library full of books???   

I also know this board has been active lately and want to say that I appreciate every bit of information, advice and knowledge that is shared.  With that said, I am going to try and take pics of some of these items today and post for any help.  I totally understand the amount of time that goes into helping everyone and hope that I don't ever just post too many things.   

[mart]

I rarely worry about pattern names unless the mark says its a very old one !! I use more descriptions than names such a chintz, floral ect !! And I am talking about plates, platters and most tableware not glass,pottery or porcelain !!  Its not as important that you know the pattern unless you are keeping them, as it is for the buyer to know !!  And most do !! If you are selling them just make sure you have good clear pics for potential buyers !! I just don`t like to spend the time it takes to find some of these things when its an almost impossible task and is only going to sell for a few dollars anyway !!

[kidden6968]

Thanks Mart. Yes absolutely not my best use of time  LOL  Well some of the platters I have are pretty old - actually have a rectangular one that is John Maddock & Sons Royal Vitreous Platter England and I did find the same one on Ebay listed at $127.46.  If I am comparing the mark correctly - it would be circa 1880 - 1896.  I am going to take pics later.  After all I have learned on here I am concerned because I don't see any crazing so to speak and unfortunately there are two chips under corners.  Will post later.

Then I have an Edwin M. Knowles - 1921 - again if I am reading the mark correctly.  So many names I am not familiar with such as Pope Gosser, National China Company and Blue Ridge to  name a few LOL  And one I have no idea what the mark is - will try and take pics later.

[mart]

Thats what I mean,, know the names,, not so much the pattern !! Post the Blue Ridge piece !!

[cogar]

Mart is correct, kidden6968, forget trying to learn pattern names because there are literally thousands of different names ….. and the names don’t always reflect what the pattern actually looks like.

Start first by learning the maker’s names or the generic names or categories of the glass or pottery (ironstone, carnival, depression) …… because the makers all had their “specialty” of …. shape, color, glaze, type, theme, etc., etc., ….. and once you learn what they are you can per say “spot a piece from 50 feet away”. And once you know the maker you can always find the pattern name.   

I believe there is over 1,000 different patterns of Depression Glass, but ya gotta know FIRST which is Depression Glass and what is not

Carnival Glass is another one, a lot of which was made via the use of the old Pattern Glass molds.

[kidden6968]

Thank you both.  It does seem like so much to learn but I am loving every minute of it.  While I have an interest in all of the antique and vintage items that I have posted and absolutely love the older furniture pieces, my true interest is in glassware and tableware etc.  It always just draws me right in  LOL

All of the items I have posted were left to me and therefore no cost to me and although I love it all, it is impossible to keep every little thing.  I will admit if I did not find this site a year or so ago, so many of these things would have been put in flea markets or on Craigslist for flea market prices.

I have been doing my own sales so have not looked around much for other possible purchases, but my eyes are open    

[Chris_Marshall]

I often have to tell the visitors of my site that especially German manufacturers often (depends on manufacturer and period) neglected naming molds / decorations or sets themselves; they rather left it to their distributors. On the other hand, many of the names found on German items actually state the name of the mold, not the decoration.

So we have mold names, decoration names and the 'made-up' versions of both from numerous distributors and importers ... not the best pool to fish from.

And then we have the additional 'translations' thereof. For example, Rosenthal has a decoration named 'Mitternachtsrose'; that is its official name even in other countries. However, Rosenthal created the same item with a slightly altered deco (minus one rose bud) for their US subsidiary, Stonegate China, and named the decoration 'Midnight Rose' (a direct translation of 'Mitternachtsrose'). Funny enough, most eBay sellers auctioning original Rosenthal 'Mitternachtsrose' refer to it as 'Midnight Rose' ... go figure.

Even worse is the habit to simply re-use the stock code issued by replacements.com ... not only do they have nothing in common with the real designations, they are also prone to change. Meaning that somebody may drop a note into the box intended for their heirs but by the time they get hold of their heirloom, the codes have long changed ...

[KC]

Chris, thanks for the reference about Replacements. They are a great site for people trying to replace items...but they are not the "Top Dog" for extensive identification of items.

[kidden6968]

Mart - I will post the Blue Ridge piece - that is not a platter but I believe a vegetable bowl.