What are back stamps??
They are the trademark or manufacturers mark that you find on the bottom of cups, plates and dishes that shows who made them.
This can be useful in identifying the manufacturer, whether they are antique and if they are worth anything. Sometimes they even get forged! People have added things like the Clarice Cliff signature onto modern pots to try and fool people into buying them as originals.
Some pots have simple marks on their base to identify them. Others have complicated patterns and writing.
The people who live in the potteries (Stoke-on-Trent). Have a habit of looking underneath pots to see if they have recognised which pottery made them. I think it’s called the “turn over club” but I may be wrong…..
Mallaband-Brown 
Great post! I use the word ‘alchemy’ to sign my pots, but I am considering creating a makers mark for the bottom of my pottery pieces, which is basically a small stamp/seal that you use to impress on the bottom of the pot. That is what everyone at Stoke on Trent is looking for! Have you ever seen the show The Great Pottery Throwdown? I believe it is filmed there!
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I loved that show. Sadly it finished after a couple of series because the production company was the same one that had sold the rights to another programme to another TV company. Yes backstamps are really interesting. I’m not from stoke but I always take a peek!
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I was sad to hear that the show was no longer on! It was inspiring and was, in part. what made me want to try raku! You are lucky to be near enough to visit! One day when I visit my sister in the UK, it will be a required stop for me!
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There are lots of things to visit here… Hope you get to see them x
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Thank you!
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😊
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Oh it was filmed at middleport pottery in Stoke on Trent
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Reblogged this on Spotlight on North Staffordshire and The Potteries.
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That’s very kind x
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