Pottery mark Query "Impressed 'C S L' inside of Triangle" Hand Made Underneath

by judith - Pottery mark Query "Impressed 'C S L' inside of Triangle" Hand Made
(Wisconsin USA)

Pottery mark Query

Pottery mark Query

Pottery mark Query "Impressed 'C S L' inside of Triangle" Hand Made Underneath Dog Figurine:- Pottery Dog Figurine (Newfoundland?) in Clay, Lime Green Glaze, heavily crazed. Studio mark is a Triangle formed of scroll-work,a 'Y'Shape in the center of the Triangle forms three compartments each of which contain a Letter (C,S or L)impressed below the Triangle is "Hand Made"


The Bottom of the Figure is slightly 'Cupped' and a Signature is impressed on either side - I can't tell if the Signature is inverse/backwards.

Purchased at an antique store because I liked the Dog.

Thanks in advance.

Judith

=================================

Reply by Peter (admin)

to:-

Pottery mark Query "Impressed 'C S L' inside of Triangle" Hand Made Underneath

Hi Judith

I have been looking at this interesting submission and several things strike me....

First is the quality of the modelling, ceramic decoration and finishing on the dog. It is actually quite nice quality, the modelling has a nice natural feel and the glaze and decoration is well done to my eye. The mark is also of has a nice artisan quality.

So this it doesn't seem to be a fly-by-night cheap mass produced item, made in a rush in the export hungry 20th century economy. It is more consistent with late 19th Century, or early 20th Century principles of care and quality in the making (even if it wasn't a very expensive item at the time)

So one would expect to be able to find references to this distinctive (and quite easy to search online for) impressed CSL triangle mark. I can find none at all, either online or in reference books - which is somewhat of a mystery.

There was one reference I found in a very old book from 100 years ago - but I don't think this C.S.L. is connected to this mark at all.

It is referring to a report on Pottery and Porcelain exhibits at the Paris Exhibition of 1867 - It says:- "This monogram of C. S. L. is a mark on Venetian maiolica"

So if anyone can shed light on these wares we would be very grateful.

Please post below

Peter (admin)

p.s. The following page is a 'must see' if you are researching fine china - for value and identification:-

Researching the identity and value of antique and vintage fine china.

Comments for Pottery mark Query "Impressed 'C S L' inside of Triangle" Hand Made Underneath

Click here to add your own comments

I found a similar piece - but cannot find any information
by: Anonymous

Hi,

I picked up a very nice vase (same coloring and glaze, but in the shape of a piece of bamboo). It has the same markings on the bottom (letters "c" "S" and "L" inside of a triangle and the words "hand made" under that. I've looked everywhere but could not find anything. Did you ever find the pottery house that made your dog? If so, I'd love to know who this person/company is and where they are located. Thanks!
I Still haven't been able to track it down.
by: Judith

Hi, sorry about the long lapse between my original Post and this response. I still haven't identified the mark but with the evolution of info online I'm hoping to ID it eventually. Thanks for your help. -Judith
CSL Triangle Hand Made
by: Charlotte

I have a large vase with the same CSL Hand Made triangle impressed in the bottom. I think they are from the 1800's. I bought 2 of the vases together at an estate sale in Dresden,TN. One has another writing on the bottom but not the impressed triangle
They have been in this house for a very long time. I think they were brought to Dresden from overseas. The CSL triangle has another stamp underneath it. It is not English. The other vase has writing, but not English. I have sent pictures to Antique Roadshow. So far they cannot tell me where they were made. If I find out anything I will post it.
Thanks for any CSL pottery mark info
by: Peter (admin)

Hi Charlotte

Greatly appreciate anything you find out. I feel with the last few contributions, we are starting to get somewhere on this CSL triangle mark.

Don't forget, if any of you have time to send in pics to me, I'll add them manually to your posts.

send to:-

peter@theclayartist.com

PLEASE MARK PICS FOR THIS THREAD (otherwise my meagre brain will forget where your photos are bound for)

"Pottery mark Query - "Impressed 'C S L' inside of Triangle Hand Made Underneath".

Best regards

Peter (admin)
CSL Triangle Pottery Mark on Dog Figure
by: Teresa

I had gone to a local thrift store looking for some glasswares to add to my home when this lovely dog caught my eye. at $5 it was a steal, so I added it to my cart. It sits proudly in a display case with my many other treasures. It is not something that I wish to sell as it has become a favorite piece.

The dog figurine has a beautiful high gloss green glaze, and has several printed words on the bottom that I cannot make out, and a stamp that says hand made.


csl-dog-figurine-pottery mark



The stamp is triangular in shape with the letters s and l and what appears to be a c over the SL. The letters on the base of the dog are not very clear to identify.

The dog is a hound, possible Labrador retriever, in a lie down pose. There are crackles in the glaze which seems to be aged, not created.

I have searched old and sold database of pottery marks but have not come up with anything. I have also looked into the query page regarding green dog figurines and the triangular stamp. I have not come up with anything regarding my piece.

Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.

Teresa
CAN ANYONE PLEASE SAY WHAT LANGUAGE THIS IS?
by: Charlotte Morris of Dresden TN, USA

I have 2 vases 18" tall 10" across the bottom green glaze possibly from 1800's. Both have writing on the bottom that is not English. One has CSL HAND MADE triangle impressed in the bottom. Then another word impressed underneath it. Not English.

PLEASE HELP TO IDENTIFY WHAT LANGUAGE THIS IS


cls-pottery-mark-information


I recently bought these vases in an estate sale from a family who moved to Dresden, Tennessee, USA from Germany in 1840's.

Dr. Moran and his wife traveled a lot in the mid 1800's. The vases were among their things sold at the Estate sale. They are in very good condition with no chips or cracks except the crackling in the glaze. I do not know where they were made or what they were used for. They are shiny on the inside. May have been used for water.?

The Moran family built a house in Dresden,TN in 1840's then built a over 5000 sq ft house in 1850's. I do not know how long these vases have been in the Moran house, but was told by the family, as long as anyone can remember.

The house looked like you were walking back in time to the 1800's. The house will be restored. I have no doubt the are old.

Can anyone help find the CSL HAND MADE triangle, or at least translate the language?

thanks

Charlotte

==================================

Reply by Peter Admin

Hi Charlotte

As I first suspected by their old-world quality you are confirming these CLS marked items are old, probably late 19th century.

Now we know, thanks to Charlotte, that the country they originate from is not one that uses the standard alphabet. I can't tell whether this lettering is Cyrillic (Russian) or where in the world it comes from.

I urge anyone who knows to post below. PLEASE!

Once we can nail the language, we will have a good idea of the place of origin of these items and even if we can't read the words.

Great work.

Peter (admin)
Yet Another Example
by: Anonymous

We are also on a quest to identify the mysterious 'C.S.L. HANDMADE' mark. All our books searched and the internet scoured and still barely a clue. The 'HANDMADE' is English so we believe there is a good chance it is British.

Our example differs from the those found (on this page) so far. It is 18" high with two carved handles and a high gloss green glaze.

Below are the images:


CSL-handmade-mark



The example with the extra writing almost looks 'ancient' or an old dialect. When we first saw our item we though Celtic, Norse with a small possibility of middle eastern.

Let's solve this mystery! :-)


==========================================

Comment by Peter (admin)

Celtic or Norse?

Hmmm....

Celtic. We need to eliminate this one.

All the others have pretty much been eliminated, I think.

At least I have a bunch of friends of different nationalities and all have shrugged and said "Don't Know?????".

Let's give the list, out of interest....

We Ula. Ula is polish, but has a degree in the Russian Cyrillic language. She wants to know what this language is, and keeps asking if we have solved this mystery yet.

Then there's Eva. Eva is Danish, so this is the Norse theory out the window.

We have Yaron. Yaron is from Israel and recognises Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic and several other middle Eastern languages.

We have Nadim who's Kurdish/Turkish

We have a Hungarian friend Sabee and who doesn't recognize this language, and also Yana from the Czech Republic.

So, we are still stumped.

Any ideas, please post.

Peter (admin)
ashtray with csl withi triangle
by: Anonymous

I have a ashtray with similiar colors and crazing in the glaze. The same TRI angle with a csl inside and another stamp letters indecipherable for me, in. faint rectangular border. The only info I have been able to find is yours. any update on this mark would be greatly appreciated
Update
by: Cosaw (Anonymous Dragon Handles Above)

Have been posing this for questions around the internets. Another thread thinks it is likely an import from either Cambodia or Thailand. Pictures of the above script picture have been posted on a couple of Khmer and Thai language forums to see if anyone can make them out. Will post if anything is discovered!
Thanks Cosaw
by: Peter (admin)

Hi Cosaw

That would be totally brilliant if you could keep us posted on this development.

I have asked a couple of friends who know a lot of languages if they know what script this is and nothing so far.

So to think we might get it narrowed down is very exciting!

Best regards

Peter
Impressed CLS (Triangle) Hand Made mark from VIETNAM!!
by: KJ Booker

Greetings All!

The mark(s) appear to be Vietnamese. The impressed 'writing' appears to be Vietnamese script.

Clients of mine, who were militarily stationed in Vietnam, (during the 1960's), purchased pieces bearing the same marks.

Clients have also explained to me that the wares -- whether they are very light or very dark colored -- were sold to them as "celadon" wares.

All the pieces had gorgeous glaze-work and proportionate modeling; i.e. -- the pieces were made very well.

Since my clients purchased the items "first-hand" in Vietnam -- I consider the information presented from them to be accurate.

Thank You for the opportunity to share some info -- enjoy! And remember -- it's the "hunt" that's the fun part! :)

Regards,
KBooker - GG, AJP
What an assist! but who on earth is this CSL or CLS pottery - triangle mark?
by: Peter (admin)

Hi KJ

What a stellar assist!

We had been through all the European and Middle East languages, someone mentioned Cambodia and Thailand above. They were getting close.

Your provenance of people coming back from Vietnam in the 1960's with these items rings very true to me.

However, it makes a fascinating departure from what we normally see from the Far East in the 1960's (I am thinking mass-produced cheap ceramic trinkets from Japan).

These are not cheap or mass-produced in any sense. The modelling is very good indeed, the glazes are beautiful, the markings are done with finesse and skill. I have been around the ceramics industry in the UK most of my working life and have marvelled at the 350 year old skills and tradition of quality production. I know when something is 'tat' and when it is quality. Perhaps these may have been produced cheaply for export in certain areas of Vietnam, I don't know, but what I do know is there was obviously a very old and highly skilled tradition informing the manufacture of these items - from dogs to ornate celadon vases.

This thread is one of the most unusual, long-standing and fascinating ever to grace this site, and we will be perpetually grateful to K.J. Booker - GG, AJP (who I think might be Kimberly of Auvint, Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/auvint). If this is you, I would be happy to put a proper link to your Etsy shop, if you like.

As you say - "The fun is in the hunt" and we have had fun on this hunt.

We're not finished yet though, I want to know more about this anomalous output from Vietnam in the 1960's. Who was behind it? Who on earth is CSL or CLS pottery? Who was the modeller, where did the skills come from?

Let's start the next leg of this journey (after all this thread started in about 2008 and as of writing it's 2016). KJ wrote his/her answer a
about two years ago and I missed it at the time, only just discovering it accidentally today.

So thanks and let's have more juice please.

Write up your posts and send any photos to me to add manually

peter@theclayartist.com

Best regards

Peter (admin)
CSL triangle HAND MADE Stamp
by: Anonymous

Thanks for all the posts from all over the world. I still do not know the language.
CSL pottery
by: Karen Danner Riddick

Ok I am a classmate to Nathan Kent Moran...his parents owned the Moran House in Dresden, TN. The two green pottery vases were brought back from Thailand by Kent's dad around 1967 to Dresden. Still no idea of age or what CSL means. Could have been a local Tai' artist in the 60' s??? Could be much older??
Similar NEW
by: Anonymous

Hi! I'm researching an almost identical makers Mark, except at the inside of each corner of the triangle, my small jar had a S at the top, K at the bottom left, and L at bottom right. It APPEARS to have a curved fish in the center.

The legend at the bottom appears to be Thai. I can't find anything on it either.
SKL mark with fish in triangle
by: Ana

I too have a small vase with a beautiful speckled metallic glaze ( I realized it was metallic after I looked at it through magnification) The mark on the bottom is very similar to the ones mentioned except the triangle has an S at the peak followed by a K on the lower left and an L on the lower right. In the center of this triangle is a fish of some sort. I have not been able to find anything on this until I found this thread which gives me a glimmer of hope!
Tankard/mug
by: Anonymous

I have a green tankard with the same triangular impressed CLS mark.

Found this on

https://www.gotheborg.com/marks/20thcenturychina.shtml

"264. The plate imported from Japan. Enamels added in Hong Kong. CLS is the Export company or the trading agent / company (1960)."

Could it be Vietnamese but commissioned from Hong Kong.

I am very new at this so may be talking rubbish.

Tony



Green Vases with Same Mark
by: Gabe

Hi!

We found these as we were cleaning out of my grandma's home - we are trying to understand what sort of value these may have. We have multiple pieces and they are beautiful. Just need to try and figure out if we can store these on the kitchen window sill where they might fall or if we need to put them somewhere out of reach of our 6 and 8 year old.

Thanks so much!
CSL NEW
by: Janie

I have a green set of candleholders and a large mint tray with this exact markings ..can't find anything on it other than this . Would love to know more .

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to 8. China Chat - Current Unsolved Pottery Mark Investigations.

"Your guides are a blessing to us" Cindy Johnson