Red Dragon Vase - Pottery Mark Backstamp with EL UNICO

by Wendy Dworken
(Boca Raton,FL)

Red Dragon Vase - Pottery Mark Backstamp with EL UNICO:- I found this vase in a consignment shop recently but have tried for days to identify the backstamp with no luck. Please see if you can possibly know the bottom mark.

Thank you Peter,

Wendy Dworken

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Reply by Peter (admin)

to: Red Dragon Vase - Pottery Mark Backstamp with EL UNICO

Hello Wendy

HOLD YOUR HORSES!!

Just a hunch, I have nothing really to base this on, but I really think you might have something exciting here.

Why am I getting excited?

Well strictly speaking I shouldn't be because when I did my usual looking up this mark in my books, I found nothing - not a trace of anything in Kovels or Millers or Goddens. I looked at the Kovels 1650 to 1850 encyclopedia too. Also nothing.

Then I looked online and there was nothing apparently mentioning EL UNICO or a dragon or griffin mark.

I searched some more and eventually came across an obscure listing on an auctioneer's site from 2007.

The auctioneer was Burke's Antiques, the auction was 434-251-5769, Auction Date Sep 07 at the REMINGTON LIONS CLUB BUILDING, REMINGTON, VIRGINIA.

This was obviously some sort of estate sale, selling a very long list of very valuable antiques such as:-

19th Century Chippendale high chest on bracket foot

Fabulous heavily carved & inlaid mahogany bedroom suite featuring exquisite king size poster bed, 2 piece chest on chest w/ crest and triple mirror dresser

Weller Jardinières

etc etc

Also listed was this:-

21 1/2 in Pedestal marked EL Unico with dragon mark.

I suggest that this item was likely in keeping with the rest of the items - i.e. old and valuable.

I would love to know the maker of this item myself. I think it calls for specialist knowledge though. 'El Unico' translates as 'the unique one'. Very mysterious.

Whats-it-Worth would be a good choice as they have a team of ISA approved appraisers and will issue certificates etc etc.

Good luck with your search and please post here what you find.

Meantime, please enjoy all the free resources of this site and welcome to the free online makers guides, china replacement advice and pottery mark pages

I have recently also published a page especially to help visitors help themselves which contains all the searching, valuation and identification tips, links and websites etc called Value of Antiques & Vintage China - Identification Help Page

HERE'S A TOP TIP IF SELLING ON EBAY:-

A mistake many people make when trying to sell wares on Ebay is not to upload a photograph of the pottery mark.

Serious buyers will ALWAYS want to see the mark before buying. To save yourself hassle, the best way to ‘photograph’ the mark so as to give collectors the best view is to place the item on a scanner and ‘scan’ the pottery mark. This almost always gives a better result than a photograph (you see lots of blurred photos on ebay from sellers who could do with this tip!)

That tip is courtesy of friend of the site, Terry Gibbs who runs a private ebay forum which gives a lot of useful tips for eBay sellers. There is a small charge to join - to pay for the admin & upkeep (quite right too!). I am proud to be an affiliate of Terry's (he IS Jeff Albertson the 'Comic Book Guy' from the Simpsons! LOL! - don't tell him I said that).

Click here for more info Terry's eBay help forum!

I hope this helps you with your very nice item

Here’s a good book to keep on your laptop. Acting like a mobile library, it will save you time, money and effort - and show you how to earn a few dollars more whilst having fun.

'How To Buy & Sell Antiques For Fun & Profit'.

Check it out here:

www.figurines-sculpture.com/buy-and-sell-antiques-for-fun

Red Dragon Pottery Mark Backstamp with letters EL UNICO - ware pic

by Wendy Dworken
(Boca Raton,FL)

Red Dragon Pottery Mark Backstamp with letters EL UNICO - ware pic:- Wendy Dworken