Identification

SylvaC marks

Identifying SylvaC is not simply a matter of finding the word “SylvaC” underneath. The base may carry a number, a stamp, a daisy, a label — or nothing at all.

SylvaC dog figure, whole piece, not a photograph of the base
Dog figure, whole piece — Illustrative only — not a close-up of a backstamp. Marks on the base vary; see the notes on this page.Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
What you may find

Reading the base

  • Unmarked early pieces. Not every genuine piece says SylvaC. Early wares, some small animals, and items that only ever had a paper label can leave you with a mould, a glaze and no printed name.
  • Mould numbers. An impressed or moulded number on the base is often the most useful clue. It is a factory model number, not a year. The same number can appear on more than one shape (duplicates happen), and some models were later renumbered.
  • Daisy marks. A daisy or flower-like impressed mark appears on some pieces. It is a factory mark, not a decorator’s signature. It does not by itself prove a date.
  • Impressed marks. Incised or impressed lettering — including “Made in England”, registration numbers, or a faint SylvaC — can be hard to photograph. Side lighting on the base helps.
  • Printed stamps. Black, green or other printed backstamps with the SylvaC name are typical of later production. Stamps vary; a missing stamp is not proof of a fake, and a stamp is not proof of an original if the rest of the piece is wrong.
  • Labels. Paper or foil labels were used. Most have been washed off. A surviving original label is useful; a new-looking label on an otherwise doubtful piece is not.