Customer Reviews

Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks: Pottery and Porcelain, 1850 to the Present

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This is the book I refer to first when I get a new piece of porcelain. 90% of the time I find the mark in this book. U.S. Marks are not as well represented, however I do get some good information about the marks I do find.

I like the way the book is organized. You can look in the index if you know a name. This leads you to locations in the book where this name is listed. Or you can search by the shape, design, or letters used in the mark.

I am a beginner and I still found this book to be very helpful in my research.

My only request for an updated version is to include more U.S. Marks. The U.S. Pottery and Porcelain markets are getting very hot and it would be helpful to be able to quickly identify them.

I purchased this book to find information on porcelain manufacturers because I'm just getting started on collecting porcelain tea cups and demitasse sets. It has great info, it's well organized and easy to use. It has domestic manufacturers as well as foreign and will be a big help to anyone who uses it. It also has a great helper in the back: an explanation of and chart for dating the old-style English registry marks. I found out I have a plate made Dec. 3, 1855 from looking in this book. Buy it. It's a big help.

The authors of this book have been writing it for almost 50 years. It is not a replacement for their "Kovels' Dictionary of Marks: Pottery and Porcelain", which was first published in 1953 and is still in print. This book is an addition to the first book, having about 10% of the marks shown in the first book because of new information or for completeness. The other marks are newer and not shown in the old book. There are two sections of marks, the first section is marks that look like objects and the second is alphabetical by initials and words. There is also a section called: "Some Additional Information". It has a glossary of terms, dating systems, foreign words commonly used in the marks, fakes and forgeries, a list of "Selected Reading", and an index. This book alone is not enough for accomplished collectors, but is excellent for beginners and used in combination with the first book (as the authors apparently intended) will cover a large percentage of the "Pottery and Porcelain" marks.

I was truly not happy with this book. All I know of the Kovels what I've seen of them on TV. This is the first book I picked up authored by the pair and it will probably be the last. The last twelve marks I have tried to identify have not been in this book. Though I find the chapter layout of the book helpful, what is missing is content.

Many dates and body materials are incorrect. Volume has been reprinted over and over with obviously no effort to make corrections. Most serious collectors and knowledgeable dealers are aware of these problems.

This book was my first porcelain reference book and I purchased it with the idea of identifying and dating items in my growing cup and saucer collection. It did not disappoint me. It doesn't have all the marks(an impossible feat), but it is an excellent reference and I use it extensively! I highly recommend this as an important addition to the library of any one collecting porcelain!

Book has been VERY helpful w/collecting Royal Albert cups/saucers. Especially helpful is the English china registeration list of dates. Thanks for a great reference source.

I find myself turning to this book over and over when presented with a piece of pottery I cannot identify by sight. The layout is great, the organization is easy to understand, the pictures are, for the most part, clear. I sympathize with the reviewer below who had trouble with some of the marks being off with regards to dates, but in my mind, that does not detract too much from the usefullness of this book as a reference. I'd recommend it.

Doesn't make sense that this book is recommended just because it is a "Kovels" I think it is over rated. Author has a business vs a real passion for antiques and it shows. I purchased this book, but I can not recommend this book. It didn't have an example of what I was looking for.

The same old thing. I can't recommend this guide. On the other hand, the Antique Trader 2004 Price Guide is based on the experts who have contributed to this wonderful book. Kyle's Antique Trader Price Guide even provides the shops they used as references. I have them both, but I can not recommend Kovel's but I do recommend the 2004 ANTIQUE TRADER!