Company
Background
Syracuse
China/Onondaga Pottery Company was founded in 1871 when a group
of investors bought out the W.H. Farrar Pottery Company of Geddes,
NY. In 1966, the Onondaga Pottery company officially changed its
name to Syracuse China, a name that had long been associated with
their institutional and fine china lines.
Since
1971, Syracuse china has been owned by private investors, Canadian
Pacific, Ltd. (1978-1989), Pfaltzgraff (1989-1995), and Libbey,
Inc (1995 to the present).
1895
through 1919:
Incised mark (stamped into the clay)
| 1895--
May to December |
1
through 6 |
| 1896--
January to December |
9
through 20 |
| 1897--
January to December |
21
through 32 |
| 1898--
January to December |
33
through 44 |
| 1899--
January to December |
45
through 56 |
| 1900--
January to December |
57
through 68 |
| 1901--
January to December |
69
through 80 |
| 1902--
January to December |
81
through 92 |
| 1903--
January to June |
93
through 98 |
| 1903--
July, August, September |
99 |
| 1903--
October, November December |
1
through 3; circle around number (code is incised). |
| 1904--
January to December |
4
through 15; circle around number, (code is incised). |
| 1905--
January to December |
16
through 27; circle around number, (code is incised). |
| 1906--
January to December |
28
through 39; circle around number, (code is incised). |
| 1907--
January to December |
40
through 51; circle around number, (code is incised). |
| 1908--
January to December |
52
through 63; circle around number, (code is incised). |
| 1909--
January to December |
64
through 75; circle around number, (code is incised). |
| 1910--
January to December |
76
through 87; circle around number, (code is incised). |
| 1911--
January to December |
88
through 99; circle around number, (code is incised). |
| 1912--
January to December |
1
through 12; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
| 1913--
January to December |
13
through 24 ; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
| 1914--
January to December |
25
through 36; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
| 1915--
January to December |
37
through 48; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
| 1916--
January to December |
49
through 60; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
| 1917--
January to December |
61
through 72; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
| 1918--
January to December |
73
through 84; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
| 1919--
January to June |
85
through 90; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
| 1919--
July to December |
1
through 6; diamond around number, (code is incised). |
1920
through 1960: Various
company mark trademarks applied underglaze with pigment. Format:
Year (represented by letter(s)) - Month represented by numbers 1
through 12.
Starting
in 1923, Syracuse differentiated china made at their two different
plants, by the order of the numbers:
Fayette Street Plant: YY-1 (year - month)
Court Street Plant: 1-YY (month - year)
(Some sources say this changeover took place in 1930.)
| 1920 |
A |
| 1921 |
B |
| 1922 |
C |
| 1923 |
D |
| 1924 |
E |
| 1925 |
F |
| 1926 |
G |
| 1927 |
H |
| 1928 |
I |
| 1929 |
J |
| 1930 |
K |
| 1931 |
L |
| 1932 |
M |
| 1933 |
N |
| 1934 |
O |
| 1935 |
P |
| 1936 |
Q |
| 1937 |
R |
| 1938 |
S |
| 1939 |
T |
| 1940 |
U |
| 1941 |
V |
| 1942 |
W |
| 1943 |
X |
| 1944 |
Y |
| 1945 |
Z |
| 1946 |
AA |
| 1947 |
BB |
| 1948 |
CC |
| 1949 |
DD |
| 1950 |
EE |
| 1951 |
FF |
| 1952 |
GG |
| 1953 |
HH |
| 1954 |
II |
| 1955 |
JJ |
| 1956 |
KK |
| 1957 |
LL |
| 1958 |
MM |
| 1959 |
NN |
| 1960--
January only |
OO |
1960
through 1962:Along
the bottom of the logo is a row of dots. The position of the missing
dot marks the month of production. A two digit number represents
year (number of years since 1871 when O.P. Co was founded).
In
1962, famed industrial designer Peter Piening introduced a company
logo that was used for only a short time on the backstamp.
| 1960--
February to December |
89
(month indicated by missing dot). |
| 1961--
January to December |
90
(month indicated by missing dot). |
| 1962--
January to June |
91
(month indicated by missing dot). |
1962
through Today:
Various company mark trademarks applied underglaze with pigment.
Format: year represented as year number (counted from 1871). After
1975, the year was represented as year since 1971).
| 1962--
July to December |
91
(Month indicated by letters G through L). |
| 1963 |
92
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1964 |
93
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1965 |
94
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1966 |
95
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1967 |
96
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1968 |
97
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1969 |
98
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1970 |
99
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1971 |
100
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1972 |
101
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1973 |
102
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1974 |
103
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1975 |
4
(Month indicated by letters A through L). |
| 1976 |
5
(Month indicated by letters A through I) (Letter codes used
for more than one month). |
| 1977 |
6
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1978 |
7
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1979 |
8
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1980 |
9
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1981 |
10
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1982 |
11
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1983 |
12
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1984 |
13
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1985 |
14
(Letter codes used for more than one month). |
| 1986 |
15
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1987 |
16
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1988 |
17
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1989 |
18
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1990 |
19
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1991 |
20
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1992 |
21
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1993 |
22
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1994 |
23
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1995 |
24
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1996 |
25
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1997 |
26
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
| 1998 |
27
(Letters A-D indicate a quarters of the year). |
Notes
about date codes on Syracuse China:
In
order to be able to provide finished ware within reasonable turnaround
time, Syracuse China traditionally maintained a supply of once-fired
bisque ware on hand, that could be quickly decorated with custom
designs, glazed and fired.
Prior
to 1920, the date codes were pressed into the ware prior to the
first firing. Often times this resulted in china being shipped to
customers with date codes that preceded the order by as much as
two or three years. Occasionally a piece surfaces today from this
period where the date code is much older than the first recorded
production of a particular design--a result of this practice.
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Design Copyright
2007 Railroad Collectors Association Incorporated
All Copyrights Apply
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