Featured Doulton Book Flask Backstamp & Hallmark

I'll just explain a bit further my thinking here, remember impressed marks aren't always exactly as expected especially with items with limited room on the base.

First here's one of the Lambeth marks:



Now look at the profile of the mark I outline in pink:



Now look at the text underlined in blue, to me this says Rd No in italicised font, this is the normal font used for the shortened form of Registered Number, you see this style of font on various pieces including Doulton.

Now look at the green underlining this looks like a 5 digit number, perhaps 75460 with the central number poorly formed.

I could have it wrong, or maybe the Rd number is 4 digits and it's just spread out oddly. If the item can be found in a pattern book then that will settle it of course.

 

The flask is a well known and documented Doulton Lambeth design. A quick google on Doulton Lambeth book flasks will show that, but I've seen them before, anyhow.

I'm not sure what the source is for that claim that the "rosette" mark shown in that image is post 1932, but it's completely wrong. Godden, which only has a few Doulton marks clearly shows that one as up to about 1902. That's when they became Royal Doulton and added variants of both lion and crown above a quite different rosette.

There's a variant Lambeth England mark used on some items later but it includes Royal above it and isn't the same shape.

Artists marks were used before 1872, too and the year marks stopped in 1888. And of course England was added in 1891. If this was as late as the 20s, which it isn't, the markings would be very different.

As to RD marks, it's very rare to get them on Doulton Lambeth pieces for some reason, they relied on their own pattern and production numbers. In any event, if this were five digits starting 75 it would be circa 1887. That, of course, fits.

There's at least one artist mark on that as well as a sub assistant, but I can't see them well enough. If Kate can get it cleaned up a bit I can check the Bible.

 

@KSW - I thought I remembered it being in the Bible.

Page 264 of a wonderful book called the Doulton Lambeth Wares.

 

What a wonderful book!

Yes, I will do. I got sidetracked with collecting children from school. Apparently it’s not the done thing to forget them. Who knew?!
I have to feed them too.....
Back in a bit

 

The Bible was one of the best sixty quids I ever spent. I've several pieces which are shown in it, too.

If you've got Magic Eraser, try that, VERY gently.

 

great score KSW, I love this flask
here is one from Liveauctioneers, show the rosette and RD marks clearer than this one, not sure if it helps or not. Also the same sterling marks No England on the mark, so as bear says, pre-1891
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/24485006_doulton-lambeth-book-flask-sterling-lid

 

That's definitely an RD, agreed. As I say, very unusual for Doulton to do that. Different decorators too, but that's common enough.

 

That’s very helpful cxgirl. Thankyou.
I’m glad mine isn’t that clear though or it would have been spotted before I got my paws on it.

 

Reported

 

Guess there was no purpose in my previous posting of the chart of registry numbers...

~Cheryl

 

Ah, that's my error, I was mis-reading my Rd index, I was looking at the 6 figure column. You are right that does fit with the earlier date, good to see it in the catalogue.

The impressed mark is quoted in Godden to 1902, Steve Birks has it going into the 20th century running on from 1930 with 'Made in England', the 'antique-marks' site has the uncrowned version running on from 1932.

Might had been if I had read the right column!

 

Birks is talking codswallop. So is the antiques marks site.

 

Poor Steve - I don't know if he is still dealing as I've not seen him in years, might try and drop him a line and see if he has some background on his dating of the mark.

 

Believe you love the stuff so much, you share it so others can love it too - in our first 'Secret Santa' here, I'd had a rough year, and December had been particularly bad, but Bear was my Santa, and when I found a sweet little Doulton Lambeth vase in the bottom of the box, it was so lovely and so 'me', that I started crying. Like so much of my stuff, it's safely packed away at the moment, but it's still very much treasured...





~Cheryl

 

Oh, that’s lovely . What a beautiful and thoughtful gift.
Very impressive it made it in one piece too!.

 

Oh, Cheryl, I'm so glad you still love that little piece of me.

I'm exceedingly fond of the miniatures. Tiny works of art and as well made as the big pieces.

The other lovely thing about Doulton Lambeth is that you can actually often know exactly who made the piece, even down to a fingerprint sometimes.

 

Thankyou INH

 

I wonder if the next offer is by someone just named 'Alan'. After that 'Al'?