I will make this quick. I spent too much time researching this Maker's mark, but the results are clear ...to me. I think I have uncovered something that has been mistakenly referred to for a half Century! ...well at least on the Internet. This Detective work was about trying to look up a silly ceramic figurine with a gold foil sticker sporting a poorly conceived logo. I clearly see a tiny "Ampersand" and read this as UC&GC, but only under magnification (remember this is very magnified). It is easy to see the confusion.
Here's the rub. Try googling UC&GC and you'll get nothing. No one can see the ampersand and thinks that is a "C" or an "O" ...so try googling UCGC ...B00M, results by the ton. Try finding out who UCGC is (Manufacturer? History?), lots of product Image search results for their Gift Craftware, but no one knows who is UCGC. So I am closing in and trying different queries against the Googlemachine and I think I have uncovered an as-yet-unknown sticker Identity. GSaleHunter the King and Queen of No One Cares!
I looked for entirely too long and could not find this simple sticker linked to a Manufacturer. The same logo presents with "Japan" and "Taiwan". The important part is *everyone* is wrong about who this represents and are usually only described in product listings as a UCGC Maker's mark, so allow me some bragging rights ...even though my assumption is not verified, it will quickly become an obvious "ooooh yeeeah".
So I did this alphabetically and it became clear. Reading the Japanese porcelain Maker's marks on Gotheborg you can scroll down to the "U"s and read the History of Ucagco - United China and Glass Company, which now seems to be a sadly incomplete story. Ucagco sold in 1956 and it's lead Designer and CEO retired in 1962, and the story ends there ...and so did the recognizable gold foil stickers "Ucagco" on their Gift Craft line. I am supposing that newly led company which purchased the 100-year-old (famous!) United China and Glass Company, wanted to come up with a new logo and sticker design for all their new products.
Ok, you get an "F" on your logo design if it forever defeats anyone knowing who you are, which I believe is exactly the case here. A tiny "&" tucked into cramped letters? Maybe it looked good on the Drawing Board. GSaleHunter hereby rectifies the confusion ...although I could be totally wrong. UCGC is actually UC&GC, the 1962 rebranded United China & Glass Co. of Sammons Enterprises. Please share any information below!
Check your stickers people (magnifier or cell phone camera required!) on all those kitchy porcelain figurines. Verification? What happened to Ucagco products after being transitioned to the new owners in 1962? What products did they make, and how were those Sammons Enterprises Imports labeled? I'm saying with the above stickers. More guessing based on historical trends. The "UC&GC Japan" stickers represent products from the 1960's (post-1962?) and stickers with "UC&GC Taiwan" represent products made as Taiwan stole Japan's export crown in the 1970's
This is an uncovered topic anywhere. Now the conversation is initiated and hopefully you found us when you googled UC&GC Join the conversation and join our Social Media on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and sign up with your email to get our newest Tips and Tricks and the next episode of "Before and After" See our other Blog "Researching Vintage" to learn how we prep and research incoming new treasures. Thanks for stopping by,
The Struggle for Vintage is Real! The struggle for random obscurity? Oh that just comes naturally.
GSaleHunter
I was researching this cute covered tea cup with the UCGC label. Thank you for this information it helped a lot.
I can add photos if you’d like., but apparently not in this comment
I’ve been trying to date an item found in an estate sale. Box from manufacturer, label intact “Acrylic Bread Tray With Handel (sic)”. Label also has logo of NORLEANS Fine China. Underneath,
United China and Glass Co.
4500 Tchoupitoulas St.
New Orleans, La., 70115 U.S.A.
Perhaps the price was underneath however since it was a gift, it has been marked out.
Also on the label is a picture of the bread tray w/bread, a teacup, and an orchid bloom.
Inside the tray is still wrapped and taped, with the UC&GC Taiwan gold sticker that brought me here, lol. Does the address help at all to date this???
I usually love when people buy items to USE and enjoy however this one is kind of fun all wrapped up, in its OG box!
I was double lucky on the id of a terra cotta glazed shelf sconce. Not only did it have the silver foil UC&GC sticker, it was also embossed into the clay ‘UCGC 1987’. Yes, I agree, the struggle is real and so are the rabbit holes
Mine statues have a label that shows UC & GC Korea.
I have a Ucagco ceramic that has a black woman trimmed in brown.I cannot find it anywhere. The label on the back says Ucagco Ceramics Japan. How can I find a picture of it? Can I send it to Ucagco to see if they can find it? I want to sell it so it will go to a good home. Thanks