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How to Date Danish Porcelain

So you have some wonderful Danish porcelain from either Royal Copenhagen or Bing & Grondahl, but you don't know, how old your cherrished item is? How do you date your porcelain? Fear not! Help is at hand! Both Royal Copenhagen and Bing & Grondahl has left clues in their trademarks/factory seals that will help you date your porcelain.

Want to learn more about the history of Royal Copenhagen - click here!

 Or learn more about the history of Bing & Grondahl - click here!

 So how do you go about it? Underneath your item you can find the factory seal that tells you, which factory made it, but the style can also tell you something about when the piece was produced. Over the years changes where made to the seals, which can help you in your quest to date the item. The seals retain some features through the years like the three waves of Royal Copenhagen and the three towers and the B&G of Bing & Grondahl, but there are changes, which makes it possible to give a more exact date.

How to date Royal Copenhagen:

Royal Copenhagen has a marking system that allow you the date an item down to its year of production between 1935 and 1968, which makes it possible to date items very accurately.


This seal is from 1935, which can be seen from the marking above the R. It is shown in red here for visibility. Normally it is green. The following years are marked by the marking moving from letter to letter in the name ROYAL COPENHAGEN, which the N being reached in 1949.


From 1950 the marking was moved below the letter as shown in this seal. It then moved year by year under the letters in the order ROYAL DENMARK COPENHAGEN until the A i COPENHAGEN was reached in 1968. Then it did not follow single years.




Learn much more about dating Royal Copenhagen - click here!


How to date Bing & Grondahl:

A very obvious change can be found in Bing & Grondahl's design of the three towers in 1970. Note the difference below:




This is the seal from 1962 until 1970.







And here we have the seal from 1970 until 1983.






It is a marked difference in design. If your B&G item has the newer towers, then it is from after 1970.

 Learn more about dating Bing & Grondahl - Click here!

 There are a number of different indicators on the seals, which can help you date your item. 
The dating can be done on any of the porcelain from Royal Copenhagen or B&G; figurines, plates, plaquettes or ornaments.

I hope that this short description has been of use to you and please feel free to visit us anytime. Our webshop with porcelain figurines and collectibles is always at your disposal.

 Many summer greetings,

 Jacob Lunddahl Pedersen

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