Topic: Newbie question about numbers on vases

[idiganthro]

This is a total newbie question.  I have several Victorian type, enameled vases that have numbers on the bottom.  It usually is in addition to a dot... i.e. "10."  or "7."  One vase even has three different numbers; on the base, the inside base rim, and inside the mouth.
I'm assuming these are marks from whomever decorated the vase.  My question is can they tell us anything about maker/date/etc? Or were they so standard as to be irrelevant?

I've googled in every way I can think of to try and learn more, without result.

Thanks,
Annette

[chopin-liszt]

Often stoppers and their respective decanters have the same number put on each bit, to show they are matched.
But apart from that, unless it's a specific maker's system for numbering things, (eg Kosta or Orrefors) very little can be gleaned.

[Lustrousstone]

Occasionally numbers can be pinned to Harrach but these sound like decorators' marks. They were on piece work so it was important that their output was indelibly marked

[idiganthro]

So, are you saying the artists got credit for their work based upon the marks?  It was a way to "punch a timecard" so to speak?

[Lustrousstone]

Yes, they were often homeworkers (often the whole family) working for refiners, but even if they were employed in a factory it was often piece work. They weren't artists; they were painters painting decorations to order. No output, no pay

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piece_work