Weller Pottery Marks

Weller Incised Block Mark

The "Weller" incised mark in block letters was used from approximately 1900 through 1925, according to Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks by the late Ralph Kovel and his wife Terry.

This mark can be found on a wide variety of pottery items and various lines produced by Weller during the years when the company was concentrating on fine hand-decorated art pottery. Those hand made pieces are the most valued among ardent pottery enthusiasts.

Weller Rhead Faience Mark

Pottery marked "Weller Rhead Faience" was designed by English potter Frederick Rhead who went to work for Weller around 1903 or so. Rhead worked for Avon Pottery prior to being employed by Weller, and moved on to work for Roseville Pottery later in his career. Rhead's pieces for Weller exhibiting a strong Arts & Crafts influence in their styling. They are quite desirable and widely collected.

The term "faience" refers to a type of tin-glazed pottery with a smooth, glossy finish. Many companies made this type of pottery, including Rookwood who is well known for its beautiful faience tiles among other wares.

Weller Hudson Mark

The particular incised mark depicted here is from a Weller Hudson vase. Hudson is one of Weller's most popular and collectible lines, and many of these pieces were also signed by the artists who decorated them in addition to having this marking.

To the left of the Weller signature is a secondary artist's cipher, "D.L." in blue, which is that of Dorothy England Laughead who decorated many Hudson pieces during her time with the company. Having an artist's cipher present on pottery is a boon for collectors who value knowing about the artisans who produced the pieces almost a century ago.

The Hudson line was introduced just prior to the 1920s, dating this mark to that time period -- late teens to early 1920s.

Weller Black Ink Mark

This Weller mark also dates to the 1920s, according to Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks. There are actually several variations of this mark found on Weller pieces.

Some of the "jugs" shown in the center of the Weller Pottery wording have a flat bottom, while others have a wavy bottom (rather than completely round like the one shown in the photo here). Regardless of the variations in the shape of the center jug, these black ink stamps all appear to date to the same time period in Weller history.

Weller Pottery Incised Mark

There are a number of variations of the fancier Weller incised mark. This particular version has the the word "Pottery" added behind Weller. The example shown here dates to around 1928 or so, according to Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks.

Pieces with much the same Weller mark along with the words "Since 1872" in a similar style indicate pieces made after 1935. During this period the company was producing only molded pottery, and no longer employing artists to hand decorate their wares. The molded wares are not as desirable as hand made pieces, but they are still considered collectible at a lower price point.

Weller Matte Green Base

While this Weller Bedford piece is unmarked, it appears in this guide due to the distinct blue coloring of the base as shown here. Many Weller pieces with Matte Green (as defined by the company when they were new) coloring have this distinctive look to the base. Knowing this can help buyers and sellers identify some of these as unsigned Weller pieces.