Hull Pottery Identification Guide: Marks, Mold Numbers & Value Assessment

A Brief History of Hull Pottery

Addis Emmet Hull bought the Acme Pottery Company of Crooksville, Ohio in 1905 and incorporated it as the A. E. Hull Pottery Company two years later. Crooksville sat at the heart of the same eastern Ohio clay district that produced Roseville, Weller, and McCoy, and like its neighbors Hull began with strictly utilitarian output.

The Stoneware and Kitchenware Years (1905–1930s)

Hull's early production consisted of stoneware, semi-porcelain dinnerware, and a large range of kitchen items — bowls, jugs, salt boxes, and the banded and embossed kitchenware that competed with the contemporaneous stoneware crocks made across Ohio. The company also imported and distributed European pottery and tile through the 1920s, and operated a successful business in florist and gift-shop ware.

The Art Pottery Transformation (late 1930s–1950)

The defining shift came in the late 1930s when Hull introduced molded art pottery decorated by glaze rather than by hand painting. The matte pastel lines that followed — Calla Lily, Iris, Poppy, Wildflower, Open Rose, Magnolia, Water Lily, Woodland, and Bow-Knot — established Hull's reputation. These soft two-tone matte pieces, produced from roughly 1938 to 1950, are the heart of Hull collecting today.

Decline and Closure (1950s–1986)

After the 1950 fire and rebuild, Hull leaned into glossy art lines and especially the practical House 'n Garden dinnerware and kitchen lines that carried the company through the 1960s and 1970s. Rising costs, foreign competition, and a 1980 strike eroded the business, and the Hull pottery closed for good in 1986. Because no successor has produced wares from the original molds, every authentic Hull piece dates from the 1905–1986 window — and the matte art lines specifically from before mid-1950.

The 1950 Fire: The Great Divide

No single fact matters more to Hull identification than the June 16, 1950 flood and fire that gutted the original Crooksville plant. The disaster destroyed molds, equipment, and inventory, and forced a complete rebuild that reopened in 1952. The wares produced before and after differ so consistently that the fire functions as a built-in dating line.

Pre-Fire Characteristics (before mid-1950)

Pre-fire art pottery is defined by soft matte glazes in pastel two-tone blends — pink shading to blue, yellow to rose, turquoise to brown. The surface is dusty and non-reflective. Marks are typically incised or raised in the mold with an alphabetical line code plus a mold number. These are the lines collectors pursue hardest.

Post-Fire Characteristics (1952 onward)

Post-fire art ware shifts to high-gloss glazes — glassy, reflective surfaces in single colors or simpler blends. The new kilns and glaze formulas could not economically reproduce the old matte pastels, so the matte lines essentially ended with the fire. Post-fire marks frequently add "hull" in script and "U.S.A." with mold numbers, and the overall feel is brighter and more commercial.

Why the Divide Drives Value

Pre-fire matte pieces generally command multiples of comparable post-fire glossy pieces. A collector who can instantly read matte-versus-glossy and place a piece on the correct side of 1950 has already done most of the work of valuation. The rest of this guide builds on that foundation.

Reading the Base: Marks Overview

Hull never used a single unified mark across its history. Instead, marks evolved by era and line, and reading a Hull base means evaluating the mark style, the line code, and the mold number together.

The Components of a Hull Mark

A typical Hull art-pottery base shows: (1) a line code — usually a letter or letter pair identifying the pattern (for example, "L" for Magnolia matte, "W" for Wildflower, "B" for Bow-Knot); (2) a mold number identifying the specific shape; and (3) a size number, usually following a hyphen, given in inches. A base reading "B-13-13½" means Bow-Knot line, mold 13, 13½ inches tall.

Raised Versus Incised Marks

Most Hull art-pottery marks are molded into the piece — either raised in relief or incised — rather than ink-stamped or impressed after the fact. Because the mark is part of the mold, it is integral to the clay body and cannot be added later. This makes Hull marks relatively reliable, though it also means reproductions copied from genuine molds carry convincing marks.

The Script "Hull" Mark

A cursive script "Hull" or "hull" appears on many post-fire pieces, often accompanied by "U.S.A." and a mold number. Script marks generally postdate the 1950 fire. Block-letter line codes without the script name are more typical of pre-fire matte ware, though there is overlap.

Paper Labels

Hull used gold and silver foil paper labels on much of its giftware and florist ware, particularly post-fire. Most labels are long gone, but a surviving original label is a strong attribution aid. The labels typically read "Hull" with "Crooksville, Ohio" or "U.S.A."

Mold Numbers and Line Codes

Mold numbers and line codes are the backbone of Hull identification. Unlike hand-decorated pottery where the artist drives value, Hull is mold-driven — the line and shape determine nearly everything.

Line Code Letters

Each matte art line carries a code letter molded into the base. Common codes include L (Magnolia matte), H (Magnolia gloss), W (Wildflower, later series), C (Wildflower numbered series and Open Rose context), B (Bow-Knot), S (Water Lily), W (Woodland in some series), and others. Because letters were reused across lines and eras, the code letter must always be read together with the glaze and form, never alone.

Mold Number Ranges

Within each line, mold numbers run in sequences that reference books document piece by piece. Knowing that Bow-Knot runs roughly B-1 through B-30, or that Open Rose (Camellia) uses a 100-series numbering, lets a collector confirm that a given number belongs to the line the glaze suggests.

Size Numbers

The number after the final hyphen is almost always the height in inches. A "13½" on a Bow-Knot wall pocket means the piece stands 13½ inches. Measuring the actual piece against the marked size is a quick authenticity check — a significant mismatch suggests a problem or a misread mark.

Why Mold Numbers Matter for Value

Within a line, scarcer molds — large ewers, baskets, cornucopias, wall pockets, and double-bud vases — command premiums over common small vases. A collector who knows which mold numbers are scarce can spot underpriced pieces that sellers list only as generic "Hull vase."

The Matte Art Lines (1938–1950)

The pre-fire matte art lines are the heart of Hull collecting. Recognizing them on sight — by their relief decoration and signature color blends — is the foundation of Hull fluency.

Magnolia (Matte and Gloss, 1946–1947)

Magnolia features large molded magnolia blossoms in relief. The matte version (line code H or L depending on series) shows soft pink-to-blue or yellow-to-dusty-rose blends; a glossy version followed. Magnolia ewers, double cornucopias, and basket forms are among the most sought Hull shapes.

Open Rose / Camellia (1943–1944)

Open Rose, sometimes called Camellia, uses a 100-series mold numbering and shows full-blown roses in relief on pastel matte grounds. The mermaid-form vase and the large basket are showpiece molds. Open Rose is among the most desirable matte lines.

Iris / Narcissus (1940–1942)

Iris shows molded iris blossoms in pink, peach, and blue matte blends. The ewers and vases in this line are graceful and strongly collected. Iris predates most other named matte lines and helps anchor the early matte period.

Wildflower (1942–1943 and later numbered series)

Wildflower appears in two distinct series — an early "W" lettered series and a later numbered series. Both show delicate molded wildflowers on soft pastel matte grounds. The series distinction matters for both dating and value, and reference books document the differences in detail.

Water Lily (1948–1949) and Woodland (1949–1950)

Water Lily features molded lily blossoms and pads, while Woodland — produced right up to the fire — shows leaves and blossoms in some of the most refined matte glaze work Hull ever achieved. Pre-fire matte Woodland is significantly scarcer and more valuable than the post-fire glossy Woodland that followed the rebuild.

Bow-Knot (1949–1950)

Bow-Knot is the crown jewel of Hull matte collecting. Each piece is molded with a ribbon bow tied around floral decoration, on blue-to-pink or turquoise matte grounds. Produced only briefly before the fire, Bow-Knot is scarce, fragile, and consistently the most expensive matte line. Large Bow-Knot baskets, ewers, and wall pockets routinely bring strong four-figure prices.

Calla Lily, Poppy, Tulip, and Orchid

These earlier matte lines (late 1930s–early 1940s) round out the matte period. Poppy and Calla Lily in particular include dramatic large ewers and baskets. Orchid and Tulip use cool pastel blends. All are collected, with scarcer large molds bringing the strongest prices.

Little Red Riding Hood

No Hull line is more famous — or more faked — than Little Red Riding Hood, a range of figural kitchenware and giftware modeled as the fairy-tale girl in her red cape. Produced from about 1943 to 1957, the line was designed by Louise Bauer and originally manufactured under a patent, with decoration often completed by the Royal China and Novelty Company of Chicago.

The Range of Forms

Little Red Riding Hood appears as cookie jars, canisters, salt and pepper shakers, butter dishes, sugar bowls, creamers, teapots, wall pockets, string holders, match holders, spice jars, and mustard jars. The cookie jar is the most familiar form, but the scarcer items — string holders, the standing salt and pepper shakers, and the dresser jars — command the highest prices among genuine examples.

Genuine Marks and Decoration

Authentic pieces carry patent-reference marks such as "967882" or "Pat. Design 135889" molded into the base, and the hand decoration shows consistent, period-appropriate brushwork. The red of the cape, the flesh tones, and the gold trim follow documented patterns. Because decoration was applied by an outside firm, minor variation exists, but wild departures from documented examples signal a reproduction.

The Reproduction Problem

Little Red Riding Hood is among the most reproduced American pottery items in existence. Modern copies — many made overseas — mimic the forms but miss the clay body weight, the glaze quality, and the precise decoration. Because values for genuine scarce pieces run high, this line demands the strictest authentication discipline of anything in the Hull catalog. Never buy a high-value Riding Hood piece without comparing it directly against documented genuine examples.

Post-Fire Glossy Art Ware

After the 1952 reopening, Hull's art pottery shifted decisively to high-gloss glazes. These post-fire lines are accessible, attractive, and increasingly collected in their own right, even as they trade below the pre-fire matte ware.

Parchment and Pine (1950s)

Parchment and Pine uses a soft glossy two-tone glaze with molded pine cone and branch decoration. The line includes large console bowls, ewers, and basket forms popular for mid-century home decoration.

Ebb Tide (1954)

Ebb Tide is a striking glossy line with seashell, fish, and mermaid-influenced forms in shaded chartreuse, pink, and brown glazes. The shell-shaped vases and the fish-form pieces are distinctive and strongly collected among post-fire lines.

Woodland Gloss and Serenade (Birds, 1957)

The post-fire glossy Woodland reprised the matte line's floral motifs in shiny glazes. Serenade, also called Birds, shows molded songbirds on branches in soft glossy pastels. Both are mid-century favorites that bridge art pottery and giftware.

Butterfly, Blossom Flite, and Tropicana (late 1950s)

These late lines pushed toward bold mid-century styling. Butterfly features pierced lattice and butterfly relief; Blossom Flite uses a basketweave ground with applied flowers; and Tropicana — the scarcest and most prized post-fire line — shows colorful Caribbean figures on a stark white ground. Tropicana pieces in good condition command surprisingly strong prices for post-fire Hull.

House 'n Garden & Kitchenware

If the matte art lines made Hull famous among collectors, the House 'n Garden line made it a household name. Introduced in 1960, this casual stoneware-style dinnerware and ovenware carried the company through its final decades.

The Mirror Brown Standard

House 'n Garden's signature is "Mirror Brown" — a glossy chocolate-brown glaze with a cream foam edge, applied across a complete range of dinner plates, bowls, casseroles, bean pots, mugs, and serving pieces. Mirror Brown was enormously popular and survives in great quantity, which keeps individual-piece prices modest while making complete sets attainable.

Related Glaze Colors

The line also appeared in Tangerine, Green Agate, Country Squire (green-and-brown), and Provincial variants. Oven-proof figural pieces — the gingerbread man server, the duck and chicken casseroles, and the Crestone turquoise line — are among the more collected House 'n Garden items.

Florist and Gift Ware

Throughout its history Hull supplied florists with inexpensive planters, vases, and novelty containers. These pieces — swan planters, baby-themed nursery ware, and figural planters — are common, affordable, and a good entry point for learning Hull marks before investing in scarce art ware. Many overlap with broader jardiniere and planter collecting.

Early Stoneware and Kitchenware

Hull's first three decades produced utilitarian wares that predate the art pottery entirely and are often overlooked by collectors focused on the matte lines.

Banded and Embossed Kitchenware

Early Hull kitchenware includes mixing bowls, jugs, salt boxes, and storage jars decorated with bands, embossed patterns, and simple glazes. These pieces resemble the broader category of American utilitarian kitchenware and are frequently unmarked or carry only a shape number.

Stoneware and Semi-Porcelain

The company produced stoneware crocks, jugs, and semi-porcelain dinnerware competitive with regional Ohio output. Much of this early ware is hard to attribute firmly to Hull without documented shape references, since marks were inconsistent and many pieces left the factory unmarked.

Tile and Imported Ware

In the 1920s Hull imported European pottery and tile for resale, and these imported pieces sometimes carry Hull distribution labels rather than manufacturing marks. Collectors should not assume that a Hull label always indicates Hull manufacture for early-period items.

Dating Pieces Without a Date Mark

Hull pieces almost never carry an explicit production year. Dating relies on inferences from glaze type, line, mark style, and form.

Matte Versus Gloss

The single most powerful dating tool is glaze type. Soft matte pastel art ware is almost always pre-fire (before mid-1950). High-gloss art ware is almost always post-fire (1952 onward). This one observation places most art pieces on the correct side of the 1950 divide.

Line Production Windows

Identifying the line narrows the date further. Bow-Knot is 1949–1950; Open Rose is 1943–1944; Ebb Tide is 1954; House 'n Garden begins in 1960. Reference books document each line's production window precisely.

Mark Style Evolution

Block-letter line codes without a script name suggest pre-fire matte production. Script "Hull" or "hull" with "U.S.A." and mold numbers suggests post-fire. The addition of "Oven Proof" marks indicates 1960s House 'n Garden and later kitchen lines.

Clay Body and Glaze Indicators

Pre-fire matte bodies tend to be lighter and the glaze dustier; post-fire bodies carry the harder, glassier glazes of the new kilns. As with dating any porcelain or pottery, comparing crazing patterns and glaze feel against documented examples supports — though rarely proves — a date estimate.

Authentication and Detecting Fakes

Hull is reproduced and misattributed often enough that authentication discipline pays for itself quickly, especially around Little Red Riding Hood and scarce matte molds.

Confirm Marks Are Molded Into the Clay

Genuine Hull line codes and mold numbers are molded into the piece — raised or incised as part of the mold — not ink-stamped or scratched after firing. A mark that sits on top of the glaze or appears hand-scratched through fired glaze is a red flag.

Cross-Check Line, Glaze, Mold Number, and Size

Every authentic Hull piece should be internally consistent. A matte glaze on a mold number that only ran in the post-fire glossy series indicates a problem. A marked size that does not match the measured piece is suspicious. Reference books with shape catalogs are essential for these checks, much as they are for provenance research across antiques generally.

Riding Hood Reproductions

Treat every Little Red Riding Hood piece as a reproduction until proven otherwise. Genuine pieces carry specific patent-reference marks, period-correct decoration, and a characteristic clay body weight. Modern copies often feel too light or too heavy, show glassy or off-color glaze, and carry imprecise or absent patent marks. Compare directly against documented authentic examples before paying genuine-piece prices.

Repainted and "Married" Pieces

Some sellers repaint worn decoration or pair an original lid with a non-matching base ("marrying" pieces). Examine decoration under magnification for modern paint that sits on rather than under the glaze, and confirm that lids and bases share the same glaze tone, wear, and clay color.

Misattribution to and from Neighbors

Crooksville and Zanesville potteries borrowed motifs freely, and unmarked Hull is routinely confused with Roseville, McCoy, Shawnee, and Brush. Confirm the line code and mold number before assuming attribution, and remember that an unmarked floral matte vase is not automatically Hull.

Condition, Damage & Restoration

Hull's molded art ware shows the same condition issues common to mid-century American pottery, but the soft matte glazes carry particular vulnerabilities.

Matte Glaze Wear

The dusty matte surfaces of pre-fire art ware scratch and abrade more easily than glossy glazes. Surface scuffing, especially on high points of relief decoration, reduces value. Never attempt to "polish" a matte surface — abrasion permanently dulls and lightens it.

Chips, Cracks, and Hairlines

Rim chips, base chips, and hairline cracks reduce value significantly. On scarce matte pieces like Bow-Knot, even a small flake on a flower or bow can sharply cut the price. Run a fingertip around rims and handle the piece in good light to find flaws sellers omit from listings.

Restoration Detection

Examine pieces under UV light — modern restoration resin and paint usually fluoresce differently than original glaze. Common restored areas are ewer spouts, basket handles, and the fragile bows on Bow-Knot. A restored handle or spout dramatically lowers value relative to an undamaged original.

Crazing and Staining

Light crazing is common and only modestly affects value. Heavy crazing with absorbed staining, particularly on pale matte grounds, reduces value more sharply. Never bleach crazing aggressively; harsh chemicals can damage both glaze and body.

Value Factors and Price Ranges

Hull values follow a predictable hierarchy. Understanding the order speeds evaluation in the field.

Matte Versus Gloss

The pre-fire/post-fire divide is the strongest value driver. Pre-fire matte art ware generally commands multiples of comparable post-fire glossy pieces, all else equal.

Line and Mold Scarcity

Within matte ware, Bow-Knot tops the hierarchy, followed by Open Rose, Woodland matte, Magnolia, and the earlier floral lines. Within any line, scarce large molds — baskets, ewers, cornucopias, wall pockets, and figural pieces — bring the strongest prices.

Little Red Riding Hood

Genuine scarce Riding Hood forms — string holders, the standing shakers, dresser jars, and the wall pockets — occupy a value tier of their own, with verified examples bringing high prices. The reproduction risk means authentication directly determines value here.

Condition

Condition multiplies or destroys value. An undamaged Bow-Knot basket and one with a repaired handle can differ in price several-fold. For common House 'n Garden, condition matters less because supply is abundant.

Current Market Tiers

Approximate ranges: House 'n Garden and florist ware $10–60 per piece. Post-fire glossy art lines (Parchment and Pine, Ebb Tide, Woodland gloss) $40–250, with scarce Tropicana higher. Pre-fire matte lines (Magnolia, Iris, Open Rose, Wildflower) $80–600 depending on mold and size. Bow-Knot and the finest matte baskets and ewers regularly bring $500–2,500, with exceptional large examples and verified scarce Riding Hood pieces exceeding those figures at specialist auction. For broader market context, see our antique valuation and appraisal guide.

Building a Hull Collection

Hull's range makes it ideal for focused collecting, and a strategic approach yields a deeper collection than scattershot buying.

Choose a Focus

Most serious Hull collectors specialize: a single matte line (Bow-Knot, Magnolia, Open Rose), a form type (ewers, baskets, wall pockets), the Little Red Riding Hood range, or post-fire glossy lines. Specialization sharpens your eye and reveals opportunities others overlook.

Start with Accessible Pieces

House 'n Garden and florist ware offer inexpensive entry points for learning to read Hull marks and mold numbers before investing in scarce matte ware. Building fluency on $20 pieces protects you when you move to $2,000 ones.

Use Reference Books

Brenda Roberts's The Collector's Encyclopedia of Hull Pottery and her Companion Guide remain the standard references, with detailed shape catalogs and mold-number listings. The Hull Pottery Association and its annual show in Crooksville are valuable resources for collectors and for reproduction alerts.

Buy From Reputable Sources

Established pottery dealers, the Hull Pottery Association show, and specialist auction houses offer the most reliable sourcing. Online marketplaces require diligence — request high-resolution photographs of base marks, raking-light glaze surface, and any damaged areas before bidding, applying the same discipline that works across all collecting categories.

Document Your Collection

Photograph each piece's body, base, marks, and any damage. Record line, mold number, size, purchase information, and reference-book illustrations of comparable pieces. Documentation supports insurance, eventual resale, and your own learning.

Care, Display, and Preservation

Properly cared for, Hull pieces survive indefinitely. A few practices preserve both the ceramic and its value.

Handling

Always lift pieces from the body, never by handles, spouts, or projecting decoration — Hull handles and the fragile bows on Bow-Knot are common break points. Support large pieces with both hands and remove rings when handling matte surfaces to avoid scratches.

Cleaning

Dust with a soft brush. When deeper cleaning is needed, use lukewarm water with a few drops of mild dish soap and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth. Never use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads, which permanently dull matte glazes. Avoid soaking crazed pieces, which can drive moisture and staining into the body.

Display Conditions

Keep Hull out of direct sunlight, which can fade some glazes over decades. Maintain stable temperature and humidity. For tall ewers and pedestal pieces, secure with museum wax in seismically active regions, and follow the same display sense that protects decorative objects generally.

Storage

Wrap stored pieces individually in acid-free tissue and place in stable, padded containers. Never stack pieces directly together. Photograph everything before storage so condition changes can be documented later.

Insurance

Valuable Hull collections — particularly matte art ware and genuine Riding Hood — deserve scheduled insurance coverage with current appraised values. Update appraisals every five to ten years to reflect market shifts, and keep documentation off-site or in cloud storage so records survive any incident affecting the collection itself.