This database consists of images of the backs of British tiles and with the maker (and some unknowns), together with a description and the dates they are likely to have been made. These data link into the TACS Tile File and Registration Database.
This is not intended to be a compilation of every known British tile back, but rather a guide to identification. If a tile has a clearly moulded or printed maker’s name, you won’t necessarily find it here.
Identification isn’t as simple as might first appear. One reason is that many tiles were made by one company, who sold a blank tile to someone else who decorated it, and in some cases either or both may have omitted to put their name on the tile. So it is almost never possible definitively to identify a tile without knowing something about the decoration on the front of the tile – though a pattern number or registration number on the back of the tile may tell you enough.
The first book that attempted to illustrate a good number of British tile backs was ‘The Decorated Tile’ by J&B Austhwick, published in 1980. Through the 1980s, Peter and Diana Clegg ran a series of articles in Glazed Expressions entitled Back Chat. Peter’s work on the lists of registered designs in the National Archive, together with the help of many TACS members, was a critical forward leap in understanding. The third big advance was the publication of Chris Blanchett’s three volume work on the 20th Century British Decorative Tile, in 2006. Since then our knowledge of tile backs has moved forwards piece by piece, and it is hoped that this guide will incorporate new information, and of course will evolve over time. There is so much more to learn – not least in the area of painted and incised pattern numbers.
Guide to using the Identification Tool
Each entry in the Tile Back section is a description of a single pattern of tile back, with the shapes of mouldings classified and relevant abbreviations or logos explained. These characteristics can be put into a search enquiry.
There is much more than the pattern on the back of a tile that will help identification. For example, dust pressed tiles were about 10mm thick in the 19th century, progressively falling to about 5mm thick in the late 20th century. However different grades of tiles made at the same time in history may have quite different thicknesses, so we have not included thickness in this identification guide.
Search Categories
Here are the search categories and some definitions to help:-
1) Type of Body – essentially either ‘dust pressed’ (clay powder moulded in a press) or ‘plastic’ (formed from wet clay). Note that concrete, glass, metal or plastic (organic polymer) tiles are not included in the guide.
2) Size – given in inches as this was the standard when most were made. The standard 6×6 inch tile has the most useful marks; many 3×3 inch and 12×6 inch tiles are harder to identify, at least at the time of writing.
3) Patterns on the Tile Back. This is the most important key to identification. Most tiles were made some form of pattern on the back, partly to help with identification and partly to help the tile adhere to the surface onto which it was bonded.
The categories are:-
a) Plain. Some tiles have plain backs, with or without a letters, numbers and printed or painted marks. In the case of tiles sold in Britain in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, most with plain backs would be ‘Delft’ imported from the Netherlands or in the 18th century made in the Delft tradition in Britain. The body of these tiles has a slightly ‘sandy’ and particular feel, and is easily recognized with a little experience. Some Victorian tiles made in British have smooth backs when they were to be used in applications such as jardinieres, though the same pattern from the same maker would generally have had a pattern moulded on the back. Ceramic artists and studio potters in the 20th and 21st centuries also often made tiles with smooth backs, many do have a signature or monogram.
b) Bars, or rails. Raised bands running across the back of the tile, from side to side. The number of raised bars should be counted. Sometimes the bars may have indents, count the number of complete bars (more than 12 bars is called ribbed, see below).
c) Ladder. Bars but with vertical bars on the sides of the tile. Count the number of bars.
d) Diagonal bars, with or without a ladder type side bar. Many tiles have diagonals running in opposite directions giving a crosshatched pattern. Count the greatest number of diagonal bars in one direction.
e) Grid. Bars running in both directions to divide the back into regular squares or rectangles. Usually this is in a square pattern, some backs have different numbers of grids on two sides. Count the greatest number of grid squares (the spaces between the raised lines) in one direction.
f) Ring. A circular pattern of circles and rings. Count the number of rings, if the central depression is a circle, count that as the first ring.
g) Wheel. A pattern of radiating bars or other marks radiating around the central point of the tile. There are not enough wheel patterns to make it necessary to count the ‘spokes’ in the wheel.
h) Ribbed. More than 12 bars on a dust pressed tile.
i) Combed. A pattern made on a plastic tile with a wooden or metal comb.
j) Symmetrical. Particularly in the 20th century, some moulded tiles had a symmetrical pattern on the back which does not easily into one of the above categories.
j) Other. A ragbag of dust pressed and plastic tiles not classifiable using the above categories.
4) Indents or grips. Many tiles, in addition to a lightly moulded pattern, have deeper indentations in the back of the tile, designed to improve the grip of the tile to the surface when it was being fixed. Grips started to become a popular selling point in the late 19th century and were common through the early 20th century. Doulton and Maw even had patented grip patterns. Count the number of grip indentations, regardless of whether they are circular, rectangular or irregular in shape.
5) Letters, initials or monogram. Many tiles have letters or numbers moulded into the body of the tile, or added by printing or painting. Some of these will aid identification – others will not! You can search by the letters (sometimes a word) or initials. Not that if there is a monogram, the convention is that the first letter is in the centre of the monogram. ‘Ollivant of Cliffe Vale’, for example, can easily be misread as ‘COV’ rather than ‘OCV”. Likewise what can be read as ‘MJS’ is actually ‘JMS’, for John Meir & Son.
7) Logo, a description is given and you can refer to the images.
8) Prefix to pattern number. Many tiles have a pattern number on the reverse, and in some cases the style or a prefix letter helps identification.
9) Date started/end in use. These are approximate in many cases. In the later 20th century, many tiles carried a date code and the year of production is given for the example illustrated, rather than the whole range of production.
