| The majority of porcelain or ceramics have identifying | | | | would be packed in boxes with “Wade England” |
| pottery marks somewhere on each piece. These | | | | clearly on them as identifying marks. As with labels |
| marks are called backstamps and they are the | | | | boxes soon became separated from the models once |
| signature of the pottery that made the items. | | | | more leaving these Wade models hard to identify. |
| Wade Ceramics whose porcelain products date back | | | | Two of the earliest ink stamp Wade pottery marks |
| to the late 1860s have altered their backstamps | | | | used by Wade and Company on their teapots, and |
| significantly throughout the years and pieces tend to | | | | vases dates back to the 1920s. The first is worded |
| be marked in a variety of different ways and colours. | | | | “Wade & Co. Wades’ England” on three |
| Wade pottery marks have been found as: • Ink | | | | separate lines of text and is believed to have been |
| Stamps – Wade ink stamps come in a variety of | | | | used in the late 1900s to the mid 1920s. |
| colours including; red, grey, gold, green, orange, brown | | | | The second ink stamp incorporates a picture of a line |
| and black and appear in two sizes; large and small and | | | | between the words “Wades” above and |
| were used on appropriately sized models. • | | | | “England” below. This Wade pottery mark was |
| Transfer Prints – Transfer prints appear like a | | | | used from the mid 1920s until 1927. Sometimes it is |
| tattoo on the pottery and Wades transfer prints come | | | | possible to find a Wade model with three or four |
| in different shapes including; circular, semi-circular, and | | | | different types of backstamp. As new moulds were |
| oval. • Embossed Backstamps – These pottery | | | | made to replace broken or worn ones a different |
| marks are incorporated into the mould so become part | | | | pottery mark would sometimes be used on the new |
| of the item. The information is raised. • Impressed | | | | mould resulting in one model with different backstamps. |
| Backstamps – These pottery marks are | | | | Occasionally if you look at the base of a Wade model |
| incorporated into the mould and the information is cut | | | | along with the now familiar backstamp you may find |
| into the model. • Hand Written – Some hollow | | | | other pottery marks such as numbers, words or |
| items did not have enough room for any type of | | | | letters. Sometimes these numbers signified the order |
| Wade pottery mark so the models have handwritten | | | | of the item produced and at others they identified the |
| marks on their underside usually in black. • Labels | | | | decorator of the piece, the potters mark or the version |
| – Usually these Wade labels were black and gold in | | | | number. |
| colour. It is a shame that pottery was marked in this | | | | It is not always the case that items with a Wade |
| manner as many labels were removed or rubbed or | | | | pottery mark stating “Wade England” means |
| even washed off leaving pieces completely | | | | that it was actually made at an English Wade pottery, |
| unidentifiable. | | | | as it was usual for the different Wade potteries to |
| Due to Wade re-issuing various models at different | | | | help each other out in times of demand. This means |
| times, it is not unusual to find that some pieces have | | | | that many so named English Wade models are |
| up to three different types of pottery mark on it. | | | | actually Irish Wade and were produced by Wade in |
| Pottery marks are usually found on the base of the | | | | Ireland. |
| model. A lot of the Wade whimsies however had their | | | | It has been reported that the First Whimsies collection |
| “Wade England” backstamp placed along the | | | | dating back to the 1950s was actually produced at the |
| rim of the figure instead. In the case of models with | | | | Irish Wade potteries. However the pieces are all |
| thin legs without sufficient space for even a label they | | | | backstamped “Wade England”. |