China Backstamps - Information and Pictures - Waterford

Waterford is a very famous crystal company with history dating back to 1793. The Waterford patterns are more than just their beauty - they are extremely high quality. As such, there are many who try and imitate Waterford designs, but none can hold a candle to the real thing. Learning to identify the authentic pieces can be helpful for those who are crystal collectors.


Originally, the bases of the pieces were marked with the name Waterford Penrose. Penrose is the last name of creators George and William, and Waterford is the location where the items were made.


A seahorse is also the symbol for the Waterford crystal company and for many years, Waterford crystal was identified by the green-and-gold seahorse sticker that adorned its products. This sticker still appears on some modern items, but it was the primary method of marking Waterford before 1950, when the stickers were largely replaced by the “Waterford” etch mark.  Over time, many of these stickers have become lost, making it difficult to identify some older items.


Waterford Etching


Something that isn't lost so easily is the more recent Waterford etching that was used on pieces betweel 1947 and 1999. Sometimes it may be difficult to see, so using a magnifying glass or holding the piece up to the light may be necessary.


The most recent Waterford mark is an etching with the company name over a seahorse. It was used starting in the year 2000 and is still in use today.