The blue 'F' underneath the glaze In the 18th, 19th and even now in the 20th century the blue "F" - since 1753 the trademark of the manufactory - has been applied by hand to the underside of every porcelain article before glazing. Differences in handwriting therefore explain the variety of "F" symbols currently in circulation. Besides the hand signature, base stamps have also been used since 1860. Since 1918, the "F" has generally been provided with a crown. In the year 1998 the phrase "Fürstenberg Germany" was added below the "F". From 1990 to 2000, all articles were given a point placed around the "F", which uses a clock-face principle to identify the article's year of creation. Since 2001, the year is identified using an underline moving from left to right along the word "Germany". Decorated articles additionally bear an internal 2-place identification number, and may also display the pattern name in logo form. Handpainted articles are given the painter's personal mark, the pattern number, the Lower Saxony Steed and the hand written remark "Handmalerei" (hand painting) to certify its authenticity. For figurine painting, the name of the figurine is shown instead of the pattern number. Limited editions are identified with the piece's consecutive number and total edition size. Using the table of marks you can see the era in which your FÜRSTENBERG porcelain was created. We're happy to help out with our expert opinions here too.  continue