Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs
Ceramics
Over the period of the SMRC, from 1903 to 1947, three principal types of ceramics and some extra items were
produced for sale to members or for award for other purposes. The three principal types can be distinguished by
the styles of the SMRC Maltese Cross badges on them. There is no reliable information as to the exact periods
when each type was available, although the order of their introduction is known and some specific dates are
known when each was in use.
The badges applicable to each type are:
Type 1
Type 2
Type 3
It appears that with the exception of the Doulton mug mentioned at the end of this booklet, all the SMRC ceramics
were manufactured in North Staffordshire at the Empire Porcelain Company. The company used a number of
marks on the base, which incorporated the words “Empire”, Empire Works” or “Empire Ware”. Details of the
marks can be seen on The Potteries website at http://thepotteries.org/mark/e/empire.html. However a significant
proportion of SMRC ceramics do not have any marks.
Some marks incorporate a
date code for the month and
year of manufacture.
This
mark is for November 1929.
Type 1
Some of the three-handled mugs include the date “1908” in the wording on the side.
SOCIETY
On some pieces the blue colouring on the arms of the cross has faded significantly.
MINIATURE
There are four varieties of wording on the pieces, of which one (D) is only found on
the three-handled mug:
A
AWARDED FOR SKILL IN RIFLE SHOOTING
SOCIETY OF MINIATURE RIFLE CLUBS
B
Presented By The Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs
For Skill In Rifle Shooting
C
Presented By The Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs
AWARDED FOR SKILL IN RIFLE SHOOTING
D
Souvenir of the highest Score made in a Rifle Match 1908
Presented by the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs
RIFLE
The lettering of the SMRC name on the arms of the cross is in silver. The words
appear to have been added by some form of individual stamping process, as the
occasional piece is found where the lettering of one word is upside down compared
with the normal positioning (right).
CLUBS
A
B
D
A
B
B
A B
C
B
B
Type 2
A full-page advert in The Rifleman in May 1924 gave illustrations and prices for this type.
The marking on the bottom is “Best English China”, but there is no maker’s name.
Type 3
In the late 1930s The Rifleman included adverts publicising articles as Christmas prizes available for purchase. The
advert included some chinaware and earthenware items. The adverts also mentioned that some items were
illustrated in the “SMRC Prize Catalogue and Coloured China and Earthenware Leaflet”.
Known dated 11.34.
Known dated 11.29.
Known dated 10.29.
Cup known dated 9.29.
Type 3 - Special Items
A - Crinoline Lady Tankard
The all-over gold “chintz” decoration can
be found on a wide range of other
tableware, both with and without the
crinoline lady, but the only item in this
range to bear the SMRC badge is the one
pint beer tankard.
An advert for the tankard appeared in The
Rifleman in March and April 1939. Also in
the April edition are the final results of the
SMRC 25 Yards Telescope Sight Individual
Postal Competition.
Six prizes were
awarded to the competitors making the
highest aggregate scores over the four
monthly shoots. The prizes are described
as a “semi-porcelain beer mug”. It is
assumed that the prizes were of this
tankard, particularly bearing in mind the
reference to “semi-porcelain” in the advert.
B - 1937 Coronation
Three items were issued at the SMRC Meetings commemorating the Coronation of King George VI and Queen
Elizabeth. They were given to competitors whose entry fees for individual single-entry competitions exceeded 10
shillings. The number of pieces issued is only specifically mentioned in The Rifleman for the Indoor Bisley at
Alexandra Palace in April, where there were just over 700 entrants, but only 263 competitors qualified for the
souvenir mug. Those for the other meetings may have been slightly, but not significantly lower. There were over
250 competitors at the Scottish Meeting at Peebles in June when a beaker was issued. Almost 300 competitors
attended the Autumn Meeting in September at Clacton-on-Sea, the souvenir here being a cereal bowl.
Doulton - 1937 Coronation
The fourth souvenir for the Coronation was a beaker by Doulton, issued in connection with the National Meeting at
Bisley in July. There were 497 competitors at this meeting, which included the team from the United States of
America for the Pershing Match.