Radford China Plate

Q: My aunt gave me a small china plate that was part of a set given to my great-grandparents when they married in 1894. It has this mark on the back. Can you tell me who made it and how old it is?

A: This mark is one of several printed marks used by Samuel Radford at a pottery that was in business from 1879 to 1957. Radford began working in Longton, Staffordshire, England, and moved to Fenton, England, in 1885. This mark was used beginning in about 1880. The name of the country of origin was marked on imported china made after the McKinley Tariff Act passed in 1891, so your plate must have been made between 1880 and 1891.