The Significance of Markings on Lenox China

(Reposted from Lenox-China.net)

It is believed that the first china markings were done by Meissen Royal Manufactory in the eighteenth century. The king of Saxony, Augustus Rex (also known as Augustus the Strong), commissioned the first production of hard-paste porcelain in Europe. Meissen painted an “AR” on the pieces, in honor of the king. Shortly thereafter, the company began using the famous crossed swords mark, which is still in use today.

Markings are often located on the bottom of a piece, and usually include (depending on the age of the item) a pattern name, a product number, the year of its creation, company name, retailer, and/or brand name. To make life even more confusing for the identifier, sometimes a piece will have both the name of the factory which produced the piece, as well as another mark signifying the decorator.

There are clues to identifying the age of a piece right away, based on the emerging laws and standards of certain time periods. For example, if an English piece has the name of the pattern printed, it was created after 1810. If the word “Royal” appears, the piece was made after 1850. If you see the word (or associated abbreviations) “Limited,” the piece was created after 1861, while the words “Trade Mark” tell you the piece was created after the Act of 1862. Similarly, the letters “R N” signify a date of creation after 1883. If the words, “bone china” are included, the piece was made in the twentieth century (or later).

Lenox has made it fairly easy to identify the age of its china. The first pieces were stamped with “Ceramic Art Company” or “Lenox Belleek,” depending on the style. In 1906, the stamp was changed to a green wreath surrounding the letter “L,” with the name Lenox below it. (Nevertheless, even if the company name is missing, it is still authentic if it has the wreath logo.) In 1930, the phrase “Made in U.S.A.” was included. This stamp remained the standard backstamp until 1953, when the wreath’s color was changed to gold.

Another way of identifying Lenox china is by the date code. If there is not a pattern name, look for a series of letters and numbers either on the bottom or on the rim of a piece. The first set of numbers before the slash describes the piece’s shape. Next, you will find a letter and a number (and sometimes, a second letter), which makes up the date code. If you find a date code but no pattern name, the piece was likely created before 1950—the year when Lenox quit using the date code system. After the date code, you should see a string of letters which correspond to a piece’s pattern colors.

With this gathered information, you can look up the maker, pattern, year, and/or value of your piece on the Lenox website, in an encyclopedia of china marks, through a replacement company, or by taking the piece to an appraiser or antique shop.

Things I Learned About While I Should Have Been Working

Bell-Mouth Spillways:


I don't know why this hole should be scary to me, but it is. It's like a watery, man-made sinkhole. And sinkholes are down right weird. I imagine ducks get sucked down there all the time. Maybe it even pulls small airplanes and kites from the air into its vortex. Or, when the water level is low and the spillway is dry, I had a vision of me being curious and climbing down into it, only to have the dam suddenly fill with water.

No good can come from this.

(Lots of spillway pictures can be found at the link above. Or if you want to see even more big, awesome holes, click here.)

(I don't know how else to say that so it won't sound like I'm sending you to a porn site. I promise I'm not.)


Yemen:

After much deliberation and research, I have determined that Yemen is the coolest coolest-looking place on Earth. (While searching for images, I came across a whole lot of guns. Since guns wouldn't exist in the coolest place on Earth, I am amending that statement.)

Source: Yemen - Sanaa, yemenshipping.com


Source: TheContaminated.com

Sailing Stones:


Holy crap! Moving rocks! Rocks that move of their own accord!

It is most likely due to the intense, focused wind which occurs in Death Valley. The fact that this happens there doesn't surprise me. There is something sinister about Death Valley. I'd give it the stink-eye, if I could see it from here. Because we will be driving near Death Valley in less than a week, I am trying to manipulate our route so we can cut through Racetrack Playa.


Jonestown:


Man, that Jim Jones was messed up. Horribly. Because my brain likes to torture itself, I listened to his last "sermon," in which he explains to his cult why they would be killing themselves shortly. Even as a brave woman tries to argue with reason, he shuts her down, further creating a sort of hysteria among the masses. It's extremely sad, as you listen to the cries dying down toward the end. This is one of those things that remind you just how extremely twisted some people can be. I don't recommend listening, unless you are too happy and in need of a serious downer.

(On a side note, I also don't recommend you listen to the Russian exorcism recording which is on the same site. Because it makes your toes really cold. And nobody likes cold toes.)

(On another side note, don't Google Jonestown images. In trying to find a picture for this post, all I could find were pictures of dead bodies. Eek! Thank you to Jonestown.sdsu.edu for having a non-violent picture for me to use.)

Oakville, Washington's Rain Blobs


In August of 1994, it began raining in Oakville. Except that instead of raindrops, it rained blobs. Oh, and these blobs made people and animals sick. Oh, and the blobs also had human white freakin' blood cells and bacteria in them.

Anyone else ready to eat some Jello?

Presidential Lenox China Patterns

Um, huh? Why am I talking about china patterns, for hell's sake? Because I'm multi-faceted, people. Get used to it. Yesterday it was blender blood and Asian girls, today it is fine tableware.

(Also, it is because I just finished this article and don't really have time to write a blog post.)

So, because I'm nice and because reading about china is boring, I'm giving you two options.

One: you can click on the Lenox China link to read the short version. This is the assignment that mandated a 500-word limit.

Two: you can click "Read the long, but exciting version!" link at the bottom. This is the version that I originally wrote and which far exceeded the limit. But it has lots of fun facts, some pictures, and even a passive-aggressive jab at George Bush. Hurray!

(Or, hidden option three: you can curse me, close the blog, and delete it from your Favorites menu. Please don't do that one.)

Lenox China

Read the long, but exciting version!

Presidential china has a long and colorful history, dating back to the first president. While George Washington imported china from, well, China, many of the subsequent presidents selected services from England and France. Despite congressional laws mandating that all furniture be produced in America, early domestic china was deemed subpar. Because of this, Theodore Roosevelt once lambasted, “We are dependent upon foreign factories for the very dishes from which the Chief Executive of the United States must eat.”

This changed in 1918 during Woodrow Wilson’s term, when the First Lady selected a set of Lenox china designed by Frank Holmes, thereby making it the first American china to be used in the White House. It had a dark ivory border surrounding a brighter ivory center, matte gold bands, and encrusted stars and stripes. The set of 1,700 pieces, bearing the presidential seal in raised gold, cost $16,000. The First Lady was so appreciative of the fine craftsmanship, she reportedly brought chocolates to the workers at the Trenton Lenox factory.


When Franklin D. Roosevelt took over the presidency, the country was facing hard economic times; as such, the dwindling china was not replaced until well into his term (and only then, because of the First Lady’s claim that the production of china would keep some American workers employed). They chose a Lenox design which consisted of a border of forty-eight stars, as well as the presidential seal against an ivory background. The 1,722-piece set bore personal touches, such as a marine blue color scheme (based on his nautical interests) and a scrolling adaptation of the Roosevelt family crest. The latter caused an outcry among citizens, due to its foreign nature. This set debuted at an important state dinner in 1935, in which all guests ate from a single service—a first in American history.


Due to the increasing price and quality of china, it was not necessary for each incoming president to pick a new service. It wasn’t until 1952, during Harry S. Truman’s term that the next service was picked out, reflecting the White House’s recent renovations. Truman ordered a 1,572-piece service by Lenox, a celadon green scheme with gold rims against an ivory background. Upon the plate was a raised presidential seal surrounded by forty-eight gold stars. The seal was a new, post-World War II, standardized version in which the eagle faced toward the olive branch. This gesture symbolized America’s renewed goal of peace. The set was debuted at a luncheon held for the Dutch royal family.


In 1982, the walls of the State Dining Room had again been painted, this time in a stark white. Wanting a design that displayed a “strong presence” for the increasingly large state dinners, Ronald Reagan opted for a Lenox set with scarlet bands of varying widths, both framed and overlaid with gold cross-hatching (a process which required extensive handling and nine separate kiln firings). The service consisted of 4,370 pieces—enough to accommodate 220 people—nearly twice as many settings as any other past service.


A new china service was created in 2000 to celebrate the bicentennial of the White House. Bill Clinton chose a Lenox service with a creamy yellow border, centered with images of White House facades. Furthermore, “each piece in place setting is decorated with a different pattern, with motifs derived from outstanding architectural elements found in the State Dining Room, East Room and Diplomatic Reception Room” (Lenox). Shifting away from tradition, this service did not feature a presidential seal. The 3,600-piece set was first used at a dinner, in which the Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush, as well as their respective wives, were in attendance.


Finally, just two weeks before his term ended in 2009, George W. Bush unveiled a new Lenox china service. The set featured a green basket weave border, based on a French dinner service believed to have been owned by James Madison. Though the 4,480-piece service was purchased with funds provided by the White House Historical Association Acquisition Trust (a private organization), the exorbitant price (approximately $493,000) spent during the beginning stages of a recession angered many struggling Americans.


In addition to the customized china created for six presidents, Lenox tableware is also used at the vice-president’s official residence, at hundreds of U.S. embassies, and at over half of all governors’ mansions across America. Being the forerunner of fine American-made china, Lenox collectibles are often given as gifts to dignitaries of the Congress and the Department of State, as well as to welcome incoming presidents.