Edward & Charles Challinor was a Staffordshire pottery manufacturer based at the Globe Works, Fenton. Trading as E. & C. Challinor, the partnership operated from 1862 until 1891, producing ironstone china, earthenware and transfer-printed tableware for both the home and export markets. Their wares are well known for their quality and are commonly found with the Royal Arms and E. & C. Challinor backstamp, making them popular with collectors today.

• Because original Challinor pottery is both collectable and readily recognisable, modern wares bearing similar backstamps have occasionally been mistaken for genuine Victorian production. 

• These reproductions are typically found on Willow pattern tableware and other decorative pieces manufactured in China or Japan during the late twentieth century. 

• While the marks imitate the style of the original E. & C. Challinor backstamps, careful examination reveals significant differences in both the quality of the engraving and the proportions of the Royal Arms.

• Some examples were originally sold with "Made in China" or "Made in Japan" labels, or carried modern trade marks such as Victoria Ironstone. 

• Confusion usually arises only after these labels have been removed or ignored, leading collectors or online sellers to assume that the printed mark indicates genuine Victorian Staffordshire pottery.

explore the original English potter - E. & C. Challinor

 modern production with a 'fake' mark

this mark is found on Willow ware which is probably modern production made in China

The mark is poorly draw for example the lion is comically drawn, the unicorn front legs are poorly drawn and the word 'DROIT' has been strongly spaced to make the letters show between the legs 

sometimes fake marks are very large and out of  proportion with the size of the base. 

original marks are not this large - they rarely exceeded
 1-1.5inches (25-40mm) in size 

marks found on modern production Willow ware and ironstone jugs

The mark is poorly draw for example the lion is comically drawn, the unicorn front legs are poorly drawn and the word 'DROIT' has been strangely spaced to make the letters show between the legs.

These jugs are the same shape, two with Willow patterns of varying quality and one with a blue pattern.

The jug in the centre with a "Made in China" sticker has the sharper pattern and has a printed mark "Victoria Ironstone" - this mark is known to be modern Chinese imports. 

They are illustrated in the Staffordshire Figure Company Ltd's catalogues of c.1996 and  occur on at least 20 different shapes from chamber pots to vases.  

A variety of patterns were used from Willow-type Chinese designs to European style landscapes.

A. A. Importing Co.
St. Louis. Mo.
Made in Japan 

label on the lid 

A.A. Importing Company is a wholesale distributor and importer based in St. Louis, Missouri, US specializing in traditional home furnishings, antique reproductions, and seasonal decor. 

Founded in 1934, they supply a wide variety of items including furniture, lighting, and decorative accessories to retailers and designers.