How to Identify Antique Stoneware

Inspect the color and finish of your stoneware piece for clues of its origin; red stoneware, for example, could be Bottger Ware from Germany or Rosso Antico stoneware, an English stoneware by Josiah Wedgwood. American stoneware was glazed with a salt finish to create a high-gloss and often painted with cobalt oxide mixture to create a blue hue.

Observe the markings on the stoneware for clues of its origin. Chinese markings and characters, for example, are usually easy to recognize so that all you need to do is narrow down the time period of the piece's creation.

Look on the bottom of the stoneware piece for a marking to indicate the time period and artist who made the piece; you can usually narrow down the stoneware's origin based on the language used for the inscription. It may be helpful to create a rubbing by placing a piece of paper over the etching or stamp and rubbing over the area with a piece of charcoal.

Enter the exact wording of the inscription into a search engine to find results about the maker. Enter the words in quotation marks to be given listings that include the exact words in the same order.

Research stoneware types in a book about antique pottery and house wares to find a piece that resembles your piece of antique stoneware. Try Jo Cunningham's "The Best of Collectible Dinnerware (Schiffer Book for Collectors)" or "Kovel's Dictionary of Marks: Pottery and Porcelain, 1650-1850" by Ralph and Terry Kovel.

Take your antique stoneware piece to an antique collector or auction house that specializes in antique stoneware and collectible dinnerware. These collector's have vast knowledge about different types of stoneware or can direct you to experts who might be able to identify your piece.