Rare Antique Victorian Glazed Ironstone Calendar & Reusable Memorandum Board • Stamped, Design Registered 1878

An absolutely wonderful and rather unusual piece of Victorian history, dating to the late 19th century. This beautiful antique glazed ironstone calendar and memorandum board was designed to be used time and time again, and remarkably, well over 140 years later, it still works just as intended. 

Made from wonderfully weighty cream-coloured ironstone and slope shaped with a beautiful glazed finish and an unglazed base, the front features a printed calendar numbered from 1 to 31, with a lovely pale blue writing surface beneath the words ‘Calendar’ and ‘Memoranda’.

The blue surface was designed for writing notes, appointments and reminders in pencil, which could then be gently wiped away with a damp cloth, ready to use again. I’ve tested this myself, and it works beautifully! Such a wonderfully practical piece of Victorian everyday design.

What makes this particular piece even more special is its history. On the reverse is an original Victorian diamond-shaped British Registered Design mark, which I’ve researched and dated to 27th November 1878.

These fascinating diamond-shaped marks were introduced during the Victorian period to record and protect new designs. Each letter and number tells us something about the object’s history. The Roman numeral IV represents the ceramic material class, the number 27 identifies the day, the letter K represents November, and the letter D corresponds to the year 1878.

This confirms that the design was officially registered on 27th November 1878, during Queen Victoria’s reign. Although the precise manufacturing date cannot be established, the piece was made no earlier than this date and is a wonderful example of late 19th-century British design.

There is also a beautifully decorative manufacturer’s monogram stamped into the unglazed base, although despite my research, I’ve not yet been able to confidently identify the pottery.

I particularly love the thought of this little calendar sitting on someone’s Victorian writing desk, being used to remember appointments, jot down shopping lists and keep track of the ordinary happenings of everyday life. And all these years later, it can still be used for exactly the same purpose.

A rather special antique to treasure, perfect for a kitchen, writing desk or little corner of the home dedicated to everyday notes and reminders.

Date: Late 19th century, Victorian
Design registered: 27th November 1878
Material: Glazed ironstone, with unglazed bas

Condition: Beautifully aged antique condition, with signs of wear, discolouration and small chips around the edges and corners, consistent with its age. The reverse has a wonderfully aged appearance, with original impressed marks still visible. The pale blue memorandum surface remains usable and has been tested with pencil and a damp cloth. Please see photographs for details.

Length: 15cm x Width: 9.5cm