SylvaC was a pastel powerhouse. WIth the majority of their output taking place from the 1930s to 1970s, their wares have endured through changing fashions, and even now can sit cheerfully alongside today’s trendy pastel homewares and pop toys, be they Pusheen or Jigglypuff.
SylvaC makes for great beginners’ collecting. Readily available, fair prices and a consistent colour pallete that makes it easy to create a pretty mix and match display.
Our main source of information for the following dating guide was the excellent The Sylvac Story by Susan Jean Verbeek, which has sadly been out of print for many years but can be picked up second-hand. We’ve re-worked the key data into a quick reference format.
Jump to: General info / Marks & labels / Mould numbers
General info
Key dates
1894 Shaw & Copestake Ltd. founded in Stoke-on-Trent.
1937 SylvaC (Shaw, Sylvan Works & Copestake) is registered as a trademark.
1938 Purchase of Thomas Lawrence Falcon Works.
1942 Ministry of Defence requisition the SylvaC factory, halting normal production.
1964 Thomas Lawrence fully merged with Shaw & Copestake, ending use of the Falcon Ware mark.
1982 Shaw & Copestake goes into liquidation.
Inner
SylvaC pieces were made in earthenware using a mix of ingredients from home and abroad:
Stone For density. Obtained from Cornwall, it was broken up and ground.
Flint For stability. Obtained from France as large pebbles, it was calcined/roasted and finely ground.
Ball Clay For plasticity. From Dorset/Devon, mined from the ground.
China Clay For whiteness. Mined in Cornwall, then washed and weathered.
Outer
SylvaC’s distinctive matt glaze was introduced in the 1930s, in blue, green, brown and ivory. To achieve it, the pieces had to be fired at a lower temperature, something that most other potteries were unable to achieve with their kilns.
Green, orange and fawn were fashionable at this time, SylvaC going on to develop a mottled gradient in a number of colour combinations, including:
M101 Green and fawn
M102 Pale green & blue
M105 Shades of fawn
M106 Dark blue, green and fawn
M112 Pink and green
M134 Shades of blue
M135 Shades of crimson
Seconds
Blemishes and marks are not uncommon on older SylvaC pieces. During WW2 the sale of pottery was restricted to plain white utility ware. Normal production continued for export (to maintain a flow of foreign currency into the country) with only the ‘seconds’ being allowed for sale at home.
“No one is going to buy green rabbits.”
When Managing Director RIchard Hall (jnr) returned from France with the idea of rabbits his partner, Shaw (quoted above), was not sold on the idea. He must have been happy to be proved wrong with the rabbits staying in production through to 1975, in all colours and glazes. Dogs were also popular, particularly terriers and the toothache dog (nicknamed ‘Toby’).
Best selling lines
“What was ‘in’ one year was completely ‘out’ the following year. There was no explanation for the change in fashion and demand. Some lines went on selling steadily year after year, others fluctuated wildly, and many never got off the ground. For every four or five ranges of ten or twelve pieces only about one proved a success. When one considers the expense of designing, mould making and producing, as well as marketing, it can be seen that we were in a very high risk business.
Among the great successes were Woodland, Riverside, Croft, Hyacinth, Pebble, Marina and Maple ranges. Toothache dogs, mint sauce boats, onion bowls, the various sauce bowls, stork and acorn jugs etc. were also very successful. Matt dogs, and in the early days rabbits, were a good seller. (Myxomatosis put paid to the dear old bunny trade!)”
Harold A. Clowes, senior sales representative and export manager.
Marks and labels
Below are a variety of printed marks, impressed marks and labels used throughout SylvaC’s history. As with most of our dating guides, this timeline works best in knowing the earliest date a piece could have been made, but not the latest. Earlier labels can appear on pieces even after having been superseded by a newer design.
All the marks and labels you see here have been redrawn for clarity using the best possible quality sources.
N.B. The information on the 1940s scroll marks is inconsistent, saying either 40s or 50s, so play it safe as late 40s/early 50s.
Mould numbers
A more consistent (but still imperfect system) SylvaC used was impressing the mould number on the base. We give those numbers here, in date order until 1972.
Why does our list here end at 1972, you ask? From 1973 numbers were no longer used in date order but are still dated, therefore, due to lack of space, mould numbers 5015 to 6128 (covering 1973 – 1982) can be found on our website.
During WW2 the Ministry of Defence requisitioned the Shaw & Copestake factory, therefore production moved to the Falcon Works. Inconveniently, this results in a second set of mould numbers, for the SylvaC designs produced by Falcon from 1942 – 1957.
For the most part this only tells us when a design began production, but roughly one quarter of them also have a known end date prior to the 1980s. Those that ceased production in the 1940s/50s are below, with the full list available on our website.
Using the available start/end dates
12% of 1930s designs,
1.5% of 1940s designs,
34% of 1950s designs, and
15% of 1960s designs
can be accurately dated as having been produced within the following decade. For example, number 1499 first began production circa 1939 and ceased production by the end of the 1940s.
This SylvaC wall duck, numbered 1402 and spotted on US eBay, was first produced in 1938 and last produced in 1975. The inclusion of a Falcon Ware mark narrows the date further to pre-1964 and even better, the letter ‘A’ narrows it down to 1942 – 1952. All marks considered, this duck probably dates to the late 1940s/early 1950s.
The letters A, B, or C marked on the base refer to a maximum retail price band, indicating it was produced under wartime restrictions.
Production start dates by SylvaC mould number
1 – 229 Early 1900s
230 – 280 1913
281 – 370 1914 – 1918
371 – 511 Circa 1921
512 – 751 Circa 1925
752 – 805 Circa 1931
806 – 900 Circa 1932
901 – 1039 Circa 1933
1040 – 1155 Circa 1934
1156 – 1189 Circa 1935
1190 – 1348 Circa 1936
1349 – 1392 Circa 1937
1393 – 1474 Circa 1938
1475 – 1499 Circa 1939
1500 – 1621 Circa 1940
1622 – 1683 Circa 1941
1684 – 1714 Circa 1942
1715 – 1746 Circa 1943
1747 – 1765 Circa 1944
1766 – 1787 Circa 1945
1788 – 1822 1946
1823 – 1850 1947
1851 – 1860 1948
1861 – 1888 1949
1890 – 2474 1950-59
2475 – 2656 1960
2657 – 3014 1961
3015 – 3109 1962
GAP
3187 – 3310 1962
3311 – 3319 December 1962
3320 – 3518 1963
3519 – 3746 1964
3747 – 4258 1965-67
4259 – 4368 1968
4369 – 4599 1969
4600 – 4765 1970
4766 – 4874 1971
4875 – 5014 1972
5015 – 5022 July 1972
5023 – 5025 June 1974
5026 – 5051 August 1972
5052 – 5059 1st October 1980
5060 – 5083 1st October 1979
5084 – 5090 January 1973
5091 – 5097 August 1978
5098 – 5131 February and March 1973
5132 – 5156 September and October 1973
5157 – 5168 14th January 1974
5169 – 5183 25th January 1974
5184 – 5193 28th March 1974
5194 – 5196 July 1975
5197 – 5220 Circa 1974
5221 – 5222 17th March 1981
5223 – 5227 December 1974
5228 – 5242 Circa 1975
5243 – 5253 Circa 1977
5254 – 5257 16th December 1980
5258 – 5262 26th February 1979
5263 – 5266 21st July 1983
5267 – 5269 15th July 1975
5270 – 5273 1st January 1977
5274 – 5300 Circa 1975
5301 – 5316 18th February 1976
5317 – 5324 9th March 1977
5325 – 5348 11th August 1976
5349 – 5401 19th January 1977
5402 – 5403 February 1980
5405 – 5418 August 1977
5419 – 5430 November 1980
5431 – 5480 Circa 1978
5481 – 5490 Circa 1979
5491 – 5498 9th February 1982
5499 – 5552 Circa 1979
5553 – 5562 Circa 1981
5563 – 5570 Circa 1980
5571 – 5579 Circa 1981
5580 – 5583 Circa 1977
5584 – 5595 Circa 1980
5596 – 5618 Circa 1981
5620 – 5633 Circa 1980
5634 – 5643 4th March 1982
5644 – 5995 Circa 1981
5996 – 6128 Circa 1978
Production start dates by Falcon mould number
All circa 1940 – 1957
1 – 187 Animals, some gnomes
188 – 217 Mix
218 – 759 Vases, bowls, jugs
Production end dates by SylvaC mould number
1940s: 773, 788, 789, 798, 826, 992, 1022, 1027, 1088, 1092, 1093, 1094, 1095, 1097, 1123, 1135, 1144, 1145, 1170, 1190, 1206, 1208, 1227, 1245, 1248, 1259, 1261, 1262, 1265, 1284*, 1299, 1300, 1305, 1313, 1326, 1327, 1328, 1330, 1331, 1332, 1333, 1337, 1340, 1349, 1350, 1351, 1352, 1353, 1357, 1369, 1370, 1371, 1373, 1374, 1375, 1376, 1382, 1388, 1389, 1403, 1412, 1413, 1416, 1421, 1422, 1425, 1427, 1431, 1435, 136, 1437, 1438, 1439, 1440, 1441, 1442, 1443, 1445, 1446, 1454, 1457, 1458, 1459, 1461, 1479, 1486, 1487, 1492, 1497, 1498, 1499
1950s: 962, 1024, 1064, 1113, 1115, 1119, 1121, 1122, 1138, 1195, 1196, 1221, 1270, 1274, 1318, 1366, 1398, 1399, 1420, 1426, 1519, 1520, 1521, 1522, 1679, 1851
1960s: 436, 961, 1046, 1149, 1175, 1191, 1250, 1271, 1283, 1312, 1314, 1315, 1316, 1317, 1320, 1342, 1345, 1355, 1356, 1359, 1367, 1394, 1395, 1397, 1404, 1407, 1409, 1410, 1418, 4123, 1424, 1447, 1451, 1452, 1455, 1480, 1481, 1484, 1485, 1490, 1491, 1494, 1508, 1509, 1510, 1513, 1514, 1538, 1541, 1542, 1543, 1544, 1545, 1546, 1570, 1578, 1590, 1620, 1623, 1624, 1625, 1653, 1654, 1659, 1667, 1685, 1715, 1728, 1732, 1745, 1746, 1757, 1758, 1765, 1774, 1775, 1777, 1780, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1786, 1787, 1791, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1801, 1807, 1808, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1826, 1827, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1857, 1858, 1860, 1909, 1910, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1933, 1934, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1978, 1990, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2027, 2032, 2033, 2036, 2037, 2039, 2043, 2044, 2045, 2046, 2047, 2049, 2050, 2052, 2054, 2060, 2061, 2075, 2079, 2083, 2084, 2086, 2088, 2111, 2112, 2114, 2115, 2116, 2119, 2122, 2128, 2129, 2130, 2131, 2132, 2136, 2137, 2138, 2139, 2140, 2142, 2144, 2151, 2152, 2154, 2158, 2159, 2160, 2161, 2162, 2163, 2171, 2172, 2176, 2177, 2178, 2180, 2181, 2182, 2184, 2185, 2187, 2188, 2189, 2190, 2191, 2192, 2223, 2225, 2226, 2227, 2245, 2247, 2248, 2249, 2251, 2252, 2254, 2260, 2262, 2264, 2265, 2266, 2267, 2269, 2270, 2271, 2281, 2282, 2284, 2288, 2289, 2293, 2296, 2297, 2298, 2299, 2300, 2301, 2305, 2308, 2312, 2315, 2316, 2317, 2318, 2323, 2325, 2326, 2327, 2331, 2333, 2334, 2335, 2336, 2337, 2339, 2341, 2342, 2346, 2349, 2351, 2352, 2353, 2354, 2355, 2356, 2357, 2358, 2360, 2361, 2362, 2363, 2364, 2366, 2378, 2379, 2385, 2386, 2388, 2396, 2397, 2398, 2400, 2401, 2402, 2403, 2406, 2407, 2408, 2409, 2410, 2411, 2419, 2424, 2425, 2430, 2431, 2438, 2439, 2440, 2441, 2446, 2447, 2449, 2459, 2463, 2467, 2468, 3735, 3824, 3845
1970s: 893, 990, 1028, 1065, 1067, 1205, 1207, 1209, 1246, 1247, 1278, 1282, 1298, 1302, 1303, 1304, 1307, 1311, 1334, 1344, 1386, 1403, 1414, 1415, 1433, 1462, 1548, 1571, 1969, 2259, 2275, 2276, 2277, 2278, 2280, 2320, 2329, 2421, 2451, 2455, 2461, 2465, 2474, 2478, 2502, 2503, 2504, 2521, 2538, 2551, 2559, 2562, 2564, 2679, 2694, 2739, 2749, 2750, 2766, 2784, 2864, 2870, 2872, 2874, 2875, 2876, 2877, 2882, 2883, 2884, 2885, 2896, 2954, 2971, 2981, 2982, 2992, 2993, 2995, 3077, 3078, 3110, 3124, 3133, 3136, 3137, 3138, 3156, 3157, 3158, 3164, 3170, 3172, 3182, 3183, 3193, 3194, 3196, 3203, 3213, 3214, 3215, 3216, 3217, 3218, 3219, 3220, 3221, 3226, 3279, 3297, 3321, 3349, 3350, 3355, 3358, 3360, 3361, 3368, 3378, 3392, 3394, 3404, 3409, 3415, 3419, 3420, 3434, 3439, 3440, 3457, 3480, 3481, 3482, 3503, 3504, 3506, 3507, 3510, 3512, 3515, 3555, 3563, 3636, 3715, 3716, 3722, 3726, 3731, 3732, 3733, 3736, 3737, 3738, 3740, 3741, 3743, 3807, 3808, 3809, 3838, 3938, 3939, 3940, 3941, 3942, 3943, 3944, 3945, 3947, 3948, 3949, 3950, 3951, 3952, 3956, 3975, 3977, 3978, 3982, 3986, 3988, 3998, 4012, 4014, 4019, 4022, 4024, 4029, 4030, 4031, 4032, 4033, 4035, 4036, 4037, 4038, 4039, 4040, 4070, 4080, 4081, 4084, 4086, 4093, 4095, 4098, 4102, 4103, 4105, 4106, 4115, 4127, 4129, 4130, 4131, 4140, 4141, 4142, 4143, 4144, 4146, 4147, 4148, 4149, 4150, 4151, 4152, 4153, 4154, 4155, 4156, 4157, 4158, 4159, 4160, 4161, 4162, 4163, 4164, 4165, 4166, 4168, 4169, 4170, 4171, 4172, 4173, 4174, 4175, 4176, 4177, 4178, 4179, 4193, 4195, 4196, 4197, 4198, 4201, 4202, 4204, 4205, 4206, 407, 4208, 4209, 4210, 4211, 4212, 4213, 4214, 4215, 4220, 4221, 4222, 4223, 4224, 4225, 4237, 4239, 4244, 4245, 4246, 4253, 4264, 4267, 4268, 4272, 4274, 4275, 4288, 4291, 4295, 4296, 4299, 4300, 4301, 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305, 4306, 4307, 4308, 4309, 4310, 4315, 4316, 4319, 4323, 4324, 4325, 4326, 4327, 4328, 4329, 4330, 4331, 4332, 4336, 4338, 4340, 4345, 4355, 4357, 4362, 4371, 4378, 4379, 4384, 4387, 4388, 4390, 4395, 4396, 4398, 4399, 4408, 410, 4412, 4421, 4422, 4424, 4435, 4437, 4437, 4439, 4441, 4447, 4449, 4450, 4451, 4457, 4458, 4470, 4473, 4486, 4492, 4528, 4529, 4530, 4545, 4547, 4555, 4556, 4557, 4558, 4559, 4560, 4561, 4566, 4567, 4568, 4569, 4573, 4575, 4576, 4577, 4579, 4580, 4582, 4587, 4594, 4596, 4599, 4602, 4603, 4604, 4605, 4606, 4607, 4614, 4615, 4629, 4631, 4633, 4637, 4642, 4643, 4646, 4647, 4648, 4649, 4651, 4652, 4668, 4671, 4672, 4673, 4674, 4675, 4676, 4677, 4678, 4686, 4690, 4693, 4699, 4707, 4708, 4709, 4710, 4711, 4712, 4713, 4714, 4715, 4720, 4721, 4722, 4723, 4724, 4725, 4726, 4727, 4728, 4732, 4733, 4744, 4745, 4746, 4747, 4751, 4760, 4769, 4789, 4790, 4791, 4797, 4801, 4802, 4806, 4807, 4810, 4823, 4824, 4825, 4826, 4827, 4828, 4829, 4830, 4843, 4844, 4850, 4851, 4852, 4853, 4855, 4856, 4857, 4858, 4859, 4860, 4861, 4862, 4863, 4865, 4871, 4874, 4875, 4876, 4877, 4878, 4879, 4880, 4881, 4882, 4886, 4888, 4889, 4890
Production end dates by Falconware mould number
1960s: 73, 74, 75, 81, 82, 83, 87, 107, 108, 109, 113, 123, 126, 127, 129, 130, 131, 132, 146, 147, 148, 155, 203, 221, 225, 245, 246, 253, 258, 260, 272, 273, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 292, 293, 294, 299, 300, 301, 304, 305, 307, 309, 310, 312, 314, 315, 320, 323, 331, 332, 334, 335, 337, 338, 339, 342, 343, 344, 345, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 365, 366, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 393, 394, 395, 398, 399, 401, 410, 411, 418, 419, 426, 427, 431, 434, 435, 455, 459, 461, 463, 464, 468, 469, 471, 472* 473, 476, 479, 480, 481, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 490, 491, 493, 494, 497, 500, 501, 510, 511, 518, 524, 526, 527, 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 540, 541, 542, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 562, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 576, 577, 586, 587, 591, 599, 603, 604, 614, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 636, 638, 639, 650, 655, 656, 667, 673, 682, 687, 697, 700, 702, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 716, 718, 721, 724, 725, 726, 727, 731, 732, 733, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 741, 742, 753, 756
1970s: 56, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 114, 115, 116, 170, 176, 177, 209, 210, 222, 226, 236, 252, 509, 512, 513, 514, 615, 616, 617, 318, 409, 629, 630, 631, 632, 645, 646, 648, 649, 678, 679, 683, 707, 730, 734, 744, 745, 746, 747, 749, 751, 752
1980s: 15, 16, 18, 68, 92, 96, 97, 98, 145, 196, 197, 198, 199, 214, 223, 249, 259, 369, 400, 406, 413*, 414*, 465*, 475, 478*, 516, 557, 582, 583, 584, 585, 619, 628, 674, 675, 676, 684, 688, 689
* Re-introduced by Portmeirion Potteries -1992+