What are Italian pottery marks?

Pottery marks are signatures, initials and brands that appear on pieces of pottery or porcelain to indicate who made them. Not all Italian potters choose to mark their work, but for those who do, the vast majority of their marks can be identified and catalogued by collectors.

Italian pottery marks are often located on the bottom of the piece. They can be inked into the porcelain or carved into it before firing. On older pieces, the pottery mark had to be put in place by hand. Newer pieces of pottery, even those that are handmade, often have a pottery mark that was applied with a stamp or stencil.