Q: I have a ceramic dish and don’t know what the marks mean on the back. It looks like a crescent with initials above it.

 

A: This mark was used by George Jones & Sons, a pottery in Stoke, Staffordshire, England. The initials on the mark are the letters “G” and “J” intertwined. George Jones & Sons operated Trent Pottery from about 1864 to 1907 and Crescent Pottery from about 1907 to 1957. The company made earthenware and majolica. Porcelain was made beginning in 1872. The mark was used from about 1874 to 1924. The word “England” was added to the mark beginning in 1891.