How can you recognise Accolay pottery?

Accolay marks: incised signatures, ink and stamps

The name Accolay may be written in full, accompanied by a symbol, initials or a number. Marks include the double A, bull’s head, shield and Accolay France stamp. The lettering also varies from one piece to another.

The mark may be incised into the clay or applied in ink. Its lines, marking technique and associated symbols all provide information for comparing pieces and learning about their manufacture. A number or initials therefore deserve as much attention as the workshop’s name.

A quickly written or unclear inscription may look like “acoula”, “a coula” or “a.coula” rather than Accolay. Look at the whole mark, not just the first letters.

Schematic illustrations of the marks. Lettering and lines vary from one piece to another.

Recognising an Accolay vase or ceramic piece

Shape, clay, glaze and decoration complement the reading of the mark. To compare two Accolay vases, look at the neck profile, handles, foot and proportions, rather than colour alone.

Accolay pottery also includes jugs, trinket dishes, lamps, masks, figures and animals. This diversity explains why a piece can be difficult to recognise at first sight. Construction details and comparisons with known models are particularly useful for less common shapes.

Does unsigned Accolay pottery exist?

Yes, unsigned Accolay pieces exist. The marking may simply have been forgotten. On other pieces, a mark is present but submerged in the glaze: a thick layer or a run can fill the incision and make it almost invisible.

An ink mark may also have worn away or survived only partially. The absence of a legible mark is therefore not enough to rule out Accolay. Comparing shape, decoration and manufacture then becomes essential.

To examine a faint mark beneath a vase, light from a low angle and several viewpoints are often useful, without scratching or stripping the surface.

Having a piece of Accolay pottery identified

To discuss the identification of a piece, the most useful photographs show the whole object, its profile, the underside and a close-up of the mark. Include its dimensions and, if known, its origin: an old purchase, a family keepsake or where it was found.