Herend Legacy - From Pharaohs to Porcelain

March 28, 2026

From Pharaohs to Porcelain - LADYBIRD LAUGH

A Brief History of Trademarks and the Herend Legacy

The world is full of "brands," but have you ever stopped to wonder how and when the practice of marking goods began? The truth is, the history of the trademark is as old as trade itself! The Herend Legacy is a perfect example.

The Original 'Brands' of Antiquity

Imagine the ancient trade routes crisscrossing the globe as early as the 4th millennium BC. As goods flowed from Egypt to India and China to Rome, a critical need arose: identifying the product's source.

Geographical Brands: Goods were initially "branded" by their origin: Egyptian grain, Indian precious stones, and Chinese porcelain. These names guaranteed the item's perceived quality and authenticity.
The Maker's Mark: On pottery and ceramics—the survivors of millennia—you can find the earliest individual trademarks. In ancient states, creators marked their work with symbols that conveyed ownership and place of creation:
- Ancient China: Simple graphic characters and nature depictions, used for over 3,000 years.
- Ancient Egypt: Geometric shapes etched into clay vessels.
- Greeks & Romans: Depictions of animals and plants (Greeks), or letter abbreviations (Romans).

Later, during the rise of the guilds and early industry, these marks evolved to signify the product came from a specific city guild member or factory owner. These early systems are the true ancestors of the collective trademarks we know today!

Herend Porcelain: Decoding the Mark

Which brings us to one of the most famous purveyors of fine, hand painted goods: Herend Porcelain of Hungary. With nearly 200 years of history, the Manufactory has used a fascinating variety of trademarks.

If you own a beautiful Herend piece, you've likely looked at the bottom and seen that distinctive blue stamp. But what exactly does it mean? Our customers ask, and we listen! Here is your quick guide to decoding a Herend trademark.

What is a Herend Trademark?

You will find the official stamp on the bottom of every piece, and it is much more than just a logo. Every Herend stamp typically comes with:

The Trademark: The official logo/crest of the Manufactory.
Shape Number: A number directly under the trademark that identifies the specific shape of the porcelain piece.
Decor Code: A letter code that identifies the Herend pattern or decor applied to the piece (e.g., 'VBO' for Queen Victoria).

Special Markings You Should Know:

Signatures: If the item is a true masterpiece, it is usually signed by the artisan.
Limited Edition Numbers: If the piece is a limited edition masterpiece, it may also be individually numbered.

The Communist-Era Trademark: The Exception

If your piece bears a unique trademark that looks different from the standard shield (a specific mark used during the Communist years when the Manufactory was government-owned), take note.

This specific mark was used for 2nd and 3rd class products produced during that era. Items bearing this stamp have a significantly lower value than a first-class Herend Porcelain piece.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION! Since the 1980s, Herend has exclusively manufactured 1st class, fine porcelain made with the traditional high-quality materials: kaolin, quartz, and feldspar.

Most Herend pieces you encounter today will have one of the current trademarks. However, if you are lucky enough to own a very special antique piece dating from before the 1900s, it might feature one of the incredibly rare, older trademarks.