Can anyone ID mark on back of this tile?
I have a vintage blue and white tile with an impressed mark on the reverse side. I was hoping someone might either recognize the mark or be able to give me some idea of when and where it might have been made. Top surface is glazed and has crazing. Back is unglazed. Dimensions: 6" x 4.5" Any help would be greatly appreciated--I've been searching and have reached a dead end on my own.
Mark is diamond shaped and I think I can read KO and ON--not sure of the N--at the top (there is a crown at top center which separates these letters) . The entire center of this mark appears to be a shield(?). There are additional letters that surround that center "shield" in a U shape. Some of those letters are hard to read but here goes: Down the left side of that "U" are what looks like MOH. Next, curving along the bottom of the "U" are two more letters that might be an N and A, and then two more that look like an E and then maybe thats a fancy B. It's hard to be sure but there appears to be two more (rather faint) letters that curve upward on the right side to complete the "U" shape. And then, below the shield and letters are some numbers. They look a lot like 1650 (the 6 is rather faint) but I can't imagine that being a date so more likely it means something else related to the tile.
bekksa
OP2 years agoThanks for the message. I did check all of the marks I could find for Delft, which is an actual company. No luck. So it must be Delft-style. I checked again based on your reply and did find that the crown at the top is very similar and even has a cross on top. Interesting. The search, though, goes on.....
melda58
·2 years agoI'm wondering if the letters are Cyrillic.
Rita
waxu_93
·2 years agomaybe Russia made
bekksa
OP2 years agoJust want to let you know that looks like you and melda58 are very likely right. Thank you so much! Still trying to figure out the makers mark but thanks to you guys, I'm getting closer. 🙂
bekksa
OP2 years agoWell, it looks like you may be right. I still can't figure out how to translate the letters/words on the back mark BUT your response and waxu_93's reply led me check out Russian tiles and I discovered some that are very, very similar. The corner and inside border designs are almost exactly the same as mine. The tiles that your replies led me to are on a tiled stove (blue and white tiles) in Catherine Palace, Tsarskoye Selo (near St. Petersburg). Apparently those tiles were based on Dutch style tiles popular at the time.
Thank you so much! I feel like I'm getting a LOT closer. And, maybe I'll never figure out the company who made this tile but at least now I have an idea of where to look. If anyone can solve the mystery of the maker or help read the words in that mark, that would be great.
melda58
·2 years agoI tried using Google translate by entering the letters I saw starting from upper left using the Russian keyboard. I got "Monplaisir" as the English translation, although it seems more like French. Have no idea if this is even close but maybe you can look into it.
Rita
melda58
·2 years agoTaking it a step further I found this reference below to Monplaisir Palace in Russia - perhaps where the tile is from? Here is a line from the description: "Typically for Peter, Monplaisir displays an intriguing mixture of grandeur and homely comfort, with its pretty Dutch-tiled pantry..."
http://www.saint-petersburg.com/peterhof/monplaisir/
Rita
bekksa
OP2 years agoI think you may be on to something!!! I really appreciate your sleuthing. Thank you. I will save this until tomorrow--otherwise, I have a feeling that I'll be researching for the next hour or two. 😊 I'll let you know what I find out. Really does sound like this might be either the place or a big clue.
melda58
·2 years agoYou're welcome. I hope so!
Rita
amazinggracehsts
·2 years agoDelft tile perhaps?