The diamond-shaped English Registry mark, was used by the English patent office since 1842 to identify pieces of English pottery, porcelain, and other products. It is easy to tell when the ceramic was made. The mark has the Roman numerals “IV” at the top of the mark if it is for a ceramic. Between 1842 and 1883, the diamond-shaped mark was used. Marks registered from 1842 to 1867 have a letter at the top of the diamond. Marks registered from 1867 to 1883 have a number instead of a letter at the top of the diamond. After 1883, the diamond shape was discontinued and “Rd. No.,” followed by the number assigned to the ceramic, was used. Tables listed here tell how to decode the mark to learn the type of material, month, maker, and year of manufacture.

To obtain more detailed information, contact one of the following offices or visit their websites:

For pieces registered 1839-1991: For pieces registered AFTER 1991:
The National Archives
Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, UKIntellectual property: registered designs 1839-1991 – The National Archives

Email: NationalArchives.gov.uk

Intellectual Property Office
Concept House
Cardiff Road
Newport
South Wales NP10 8QQ, UK
IPO.gov.uk Email: information@ipo.gov.uk

Both offices will research designs for a fee. Information is available on their websites.

Here are some notes to help date any piece that bears an English registry mark.

A diamond-shaped registry mark was used between 1842 and 1883. The information within the diamond changed after 1867.

english register marks examples

Mark “A” represents the mark used between 1842 and 1867; mark “B” represents the mark between 1868 and 1883. After 1884, the diamond-shaped marks were replaced by the letters Rd. No. (for registered number)—and numbers indicating the year the piece was registered (see Mark “C).

In Mark “A,” the various letters and numbers indicate the following: the large “Rd” means “registered”; the Roman numeral in the circle at the top of the mark represents the type of material used to make a piece (see Table 1); the Roman numeral in the top inside section of the diamond represents the year the piece was registered (see Table 3); the Arabic numeral on the right-hand section represents the day of the month the piece was registered; the Arabic numeral in the section at the bottom represents the parcel number, which is a code indicating the person or company that registered the piece; and the letter in the left-hand section represents the month the piece was registered (see Table 2). In other words, Mark “A” appeared on a piece of ceramics registered on June 2, 1850.

In Mark “B,” the various letters and numbers reflect the following: the large “Rd” means “registered”; the Roman numeral in the circle at the top of the mark represents the type of material from which the piece was made (see Table 1); the Arabic numeral in the top inside section of the diamond represents the day of the month; the letter at the right-hand section represents the year the piece was registered (see Table 4); the letter in the bottom segment represents the month the piece was registered (see Table 2); and the Arabic numeral at the left-hand side represents the parcel number. In other words, this mark appeared on a piece of ceramics registered on July 7, 1873.

Table 1

Type of material or class
I—metal
III—glass
II—wood
IV—ceramics
V— paper hangings VI—carpets
VII – printed shawls VIII—other shawls
IX—yarn X—printed fabrics
XI—furnitures (printed fabric with repeat greater than 12 x 8) XII (i)—other fabrics
XII (ii) – other fabrics (damasks) XIII – lace

 

Table 2

Month of the Year of Manufacture
C—January
I—July
G—February
R—August
W—March
D—September
H—April
B—October
E—May
K—November
M—June
A—December

Table 3

Year of Manufacture: 1842-1867
1842—X
1851—P
1860—Z
1843—H
1852—D
1861—R
1844—C
1853—Y
1862—O
1845—A
1854—J
1863—G
1846—I
1855—E
1864—N
1847—F
1856—L
1865—W
1848—U
1857—K
1866—Q
1849—S
1858—B
1867—T
1850—V
1859—M

Table 4

Year of Manufacture: 1868-1883
1868—X
1874—U
1879—Y
1869—H
1875—S
1880—J
1870—C
1876—V
1881—E
1871—A
1877—P
1882—L
1872—I
1878—D
1883—K
1873—F

 

After 1883, the diamond marks were discontinued and a simpler marking system, consisting of the letters “Rd No” followed by a number, was instituted. This mark appears on decorative art (china, glass, metal, or wood) manufactured in England since 1884.

Table 5: Design Registry Numbers—1884-2009 lists the English registry numbers by year. (For example, if a piece is marked with the number Rd. No. 821265, it was registered sometime in 1937.)

Table 5

Design Registry Numbers: 1884-2009
Jan.1884— 1
1926—718057
1969—939875
1885— 20000
1927—726330
1970—944932
1886— 40800
1928—734370
1971—950046
1887— 64700
1929—742725
1972—955342
1888— 91800
1930—751160
1973—960708
1889—117800
1931—760583
1974—965185
1890—142300
1932—769670
1975—969249
1891—164000
1933—779292
1976—973838
1892—186400
1934—789019
1977—978426
1893—206100
1935—799097
1978—982815
1894—225000
1936—808794
1979—987910
1895—248200
1937—817293
1980—993012
1896—268800
1938—825231
1981—998302
1897—291400
1939—832610
1982—1004456
Jan.1898—311677
1940—837520
1983—1010583
1899—332200
1941—838590
1984—1017131
1900—351600
1942—839230
1985—1024174
1901—368186
1943—839980
1986—1031358
1902—385180
1944—841040
1987—1039055
1903—403200
1945—842670
1988—1047478
1904—424400
Jan.1946—845550
1989—1056076
1905—447800
1947—849730
July 1989—1061406 (last no.)
1906—471860
1948—853260
Aug. 1989—2000000
1907—493900
1949—856999
1990—2003720
1908—518640
1950—860854
1991—2012047
1909—535170
1951—863970
1992—2019933
Sep.1909—548919
1952—866280
1993—2028110
Oct.1909—548920
1953—869300
1994—2036116
Jan.1911—575817
1954—872531
1995—2044229
1912—594195
1955—876067
1996—2053113
1913—612431
1956—879282
1997—2062102
1914—630190
1957—882949
1998—602537 *
1915—644935
1958—887079
1999—2080159
1916—653521
1959—891665
2000—2089189
1917—658988
1960—895000
2001—2098476
1918—662872
1961—899914
2002—3000396
1919—666128
1962—904638
2003—3009769
1920—673750
1963—909364
2004—3015712
1921—680147
1964—914536
2005—3019908
1922—687144
1965—919607
2006—3023508
1923—694999
1966—924510
2007—4000966 **
1924—702671
1967—929 335
2008—4005794
1925—710165
1968—934515
2009—4009885

Based on information supplied by the United Kingdom’s Intellectual Property Office.
* Textile designs had a separate Number sequence until 2001; this number was probably a textile design.
** 4-million sequence started in Oct. 2006 following new legislation.

Updated January 10, 2022

2 responses to “English Registry Marks”

  1. janicetucker1 says:

    I have a porcelain oyster dish with lovely small varied flowers about half way down the dish. The is a marking on the back O.V. in blue ink with a blue line beneath the letters. They were impressed into the porcelain. Fluted edges and bottom is raised and cut out in areas. Thanks for your help.

  2. Robert Baber says:

    good morning .i have an interesting piece ..its a door knocker in the shape of a hand with a diamond mark on the top of the sleeve..numbers an letters are hard to read.. there is a (1) mark for metal..just below is an (A) mark i think for the month ( DECEMBER)..to the left is a (E) i think is the year..1855..to the right is a (6)could be the day or date..on the bottom not clear looks like a (4) could be the package number..with a single (R)in the middle.. could you please give me some more info on this piece please..Mr R Baber BOB..

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