Logos

Over the years the style of the Waterford logo and the Seahorse symbol have changed somewhat. Despite the changes, all Waterford products have continued to bear identification. Each piece of crystal is indelibly stamped, usually on the base, with the word "Waterford".

In recent years, the image of the Seahorse has been paired with the word "Waterford" as the official backstamp. The stamping is faint, to avoid spoiling the crystal, and is best seen in bright light against a dark background

Here is a brief history on Waterford Crystal and a few other facts.

The Penrose Glass House in Waterford, Ireland was founded by brothers George and William Penrose 1783. Due to the financial climate in 1851, largely due to excise duties the Penrose Glass House closed and never opened again. Any marked Penrose crystal would say "Penrose Waterford" So when anyone speaks of antique Waterford crystal they are speaking of crystal made in Waterford, Ireland by the Penrose Glass House only.

The Waterford Crystal company we know today was founded in 1947 and that time frame is when the "Waterford" mark was first used. The Waterford mark was changed in 1999 to commemorate the Millennium and has a seahorse, like they use on their green and gold paper labels incorporate a into it. The first Waterford items marked that way were from their new Millennium collection.

For those dealing in antique crystal; The Waterford company of today had no ties to the Penrose company. and while the Waterford company of today does claim Penrose as a part of their history; it's only about Waterford, Ireland history and both companies having produced crystal there.

Great information, however all Waterford Crystal is not marked. There are two styles of marking that is used by Waterford. Etching is one and stamping is the other. Many of the older pieces and quite a few of the more elite patterns have items that are not etched or stamped. Lismore is a pattern that has many items that bear no Waterford marking other than the green and gold foil logo sticker.

There are many such as...

• Sean John
• DKNY
• Anna Sui
• Juicy Couture
• Paris
• Ralph Lauren
• Escada
• Hugo Boss
• ETC
• Julian Rouas Paris

The shape of the Saints logo is a fascinating piece of history. It consists of three small extensions on bottom extending down and out, then a small dividing belt, then three much larger extensions extending up and out. The space underneath the two large outward protruding arms, including the belt and the three smaller lower arms, are a result of the space on top of the Ark of the Covenant.

The cherubim's wings - and the space in-between their wings and the mercy seat (the lid of the Ark) - create the shape of the lower part of the insignia, with the upper portion (the large three arms) symbolizing the radiant quality of the Ark.

More input:

It's extremely hard to draw. Since it is predominately a French Catholic symbol, the name "Saints" was fitting. The symbol is a fleur de lis which is prounounced floor-da-lee, which means a "lily flower." It is found everywhere in France, usually as a sign of royalty. See the Related Link below for more information.

Originally developed to communicate an identity to the illiterate, a logo is a blending of a product or company name with a distinctive typeface and/or artwork. So, to a great extent, "what is a good logo" is in the eye of the beholder.

Certainly, some logos have the advantage of longevity. Logos for Coca-Cola, General Electric, and the Chevrolet "bow tie, " to name three, have been subtly refined over time, but still bear a strong resemblance to their original incarnations.

Other companies change their logos every few years; the most often cited motivation is "to keep up with the times." Pepsi-Cola has had four separate logos since the mid 1980's. NBC has had a succession of logos in its history, while CBS still uses the "eye" introduced at the dawn of television.

Without resorting to (copyrighted) pictures, it's easier to define what makes a logo bad than which ones are good. A bad logo may:

• Not match the personality of its product. Imagine what would happen if the word "Marlboro" were rendered in a feminine script.
• Be anonymous or characterless. Setting the brand name in Goudy Old Style (or whatever) is not a logo. It is a type treatment.
• Be hard to read. You can't communicate the name of your product if nobody can read it.
• Be changed too frequently. If you want to keep up with the times, fine, but be aware that it takes an immense amount of time and money to establish a logo in the public mind. If you don't have a huge advertising budget, don't change your logo.