Marks are one of the collector's most important tools when it comes to identifying and dating antiques. Of course, it is important to understand that they should never be relied upon completely, as many have been copied or faked. What you should rely on is experience. Handle as many antiques as you can and learn to combine your knowledge of marks with the knowledge of how an authentic piece looks and feels. Whether you are buying at auction, flea market or antique shop this is the book you need to identify and date what you find. More than 6,000 marks are organized for quick, at-a-glance reference with full-colour sections on silver, Sheffield plate, bronze figures, ceramics, glass, costume jewellery, toys and dolls. This comprehensive guide can be kept handy to identify antique finds and valuate them from a catalogue of the most common marks that you will encounter, as well as any unidentified treasures you already own.

First published in 1998, Miller's Antiques Encyclopedia has gone on to sell more than 150,000 copies worldwide and been published into seven languages. This new edition includes a thoroughly updated directory, list of suppliers and up-to-date price codes for each item. Compiled by an international team of over 40 consultants and writers, and offering clear and wide-ranging coverage of antiques and collectables, this book contains valuable information for both the enthusiast and the experienced dealer. An extensive glossary explains the terms used throughout the book and clear cross-referencing leads you into related areas of interest. All the traditional areas of collecting are featured, with extensive sections on furniture, ceramics, silver and glass. More specialist subjects, such as jewellery, scientific instruments, Oriental art and sporting memorabilia are also included. Clearly and logically organised, practical and packed with absorbing and useful information, Miller's Antiques Encyclopedia is an invaluable aid to collecting and the definitive reference book on the subject.

Your piece of porcelain may feature an anchor, but how do you know whether it was made at Chelsea or Bow? How can you tell if the mark is genuine? This handy and easy-to-use pocket guide helps you to make sense of a vast, and often confusing, field. With more than 3,000 commonly found marks for all types of pottery and porcelain, and information on the makers, factories, and artists, it is simply the best on-the-spot resource for expert collectors, auctioneers, and novices alike. Line drawings throughout illustrate the different styles and patterns, maps showing the locations of major factories worldwide, and the color photographs of actual pottery and porcelain marks make dating and authenticating pieces even easier.

Thanks to the unique hallmarking system, it is possible to tell when, where, by whom, and with what quality of metal most pieces of silver and Sheffield plate were made. This compact, pocket-sized guide from Miller’s shows how to decipher this system, and to read the history behind the marks. A full introduction explains how to understand the marks and distinguish between silver, plate, and electroplate, followed by a look at all the marks of the major British, Irish, and American assay guilds. The pages are packed with lists of key manufacturers, designers, and patterns, and are supported by detailed glossaries. Full color photographs throughout of sample silverware and marks help to date and authenticate pieces.

Miller's Antiques Handbook & Price Guide remains the essential and trusted guide to the antiques market. It has earned the reputation of being the book no dealer, collector or auctioneer should be without. Compiled by Judith Miller, world-renowned antiques expert and co-founder of the book, the guide features more than 8,000 antiques. Comprehensive sections cover ceramics, furniture, glass, silver and metalwares, jewellery and objets de vertu, clocks and watches, books, Oriental antiques, textiles, toys, decorative arts and Modern Classics. Special features explain why one piece is worth more than another, show how to value an item and teach you to be your own valuer. Biographies of designers and factories give the background information you need to help date and value objects, while special 'Judith Picks' sections give fascinating background and valuation details for particularly interesting or unusual objects.

Designed as the essential reference tool for appraisers, collectors and dealers of silverware, the Encyclopedia is an indispensable guide for anyone researching silver hallmarks, offering clear and wide-ranging reproductions of thousands of hallmarks from more than 60 countries and regions, past and present, on every continent. It is also clearly and logically organized into two volumes for ease of reference: in the first volume are hallmarks listed by visual type and category, fully cross-referenced to information in the second volume on country of origin (in order of importance), centre of assaying or making, date and silver standard marks, special marks such as import/export marks, and selected maker's marks. Vetted by an international team of experts, the Encyclopedia thus helps you to identify silver hallmarks quickly, easily and reliably. It also includes brief historical overviews of hallmarking in each country, a description of the hallmarking process, and a guide to identifying fake and forged marks. Practical, comprehensive and up to date, Miller's Encyclopedia of World Silver Marks is an invaluable aid to identifying silverware from around the world.

Your piece of porcelain may feature an anchor, but how do you know whether it was made at Chelsea or Bow? How can you tell if the mark is genuine? This handy and easy-to-use pocket guide helps you to make sense of a vast, and often confusing, field. With more than 3,000 commonly found marks for all types of pottery and porcelain, and information on the makers, factories, and artists, it is simply the best on-the-spot resource for expert collectors, auctioneers, and novices alike. Line drawings throughout illustrate the different styles and patterns, maps showing the locations of major factories worldwide, and the color photographs of actual pottery and porcelain marks make dating and authenticating pieces even easier.