Dating old pottery is difficult, especially when it has been in operation for over 200 years , like Wedgwood has. Manufacturers were not really concerned about sticking to rules and would therefore interchange marks. This meant that that they would use different marks at the same time and use old batches later in the production run.
In 1860 the Wedgwood factory started marking its wares with the date of manufacture impressed in each piece as part of a three letter code. The first letter of the code represents the month of manufacture, the second identified the potter who threw the shape and the last letter signifying the year the piece was made starting with 0 for 1860. The series was repeated 4 times. From 1907 on in the third series the first letter for the month is replaced by a 3 and with the fourth series commencing with A in 1924 with the figure 4. There is an area of confusion in wares in the first two series. For example TOT could mean a piece produced in either June 1865 or June of 1891. Commencing in 1929 the year mark is replaced by the last two digits of the year, 30 standing for 1930.
