Bohemia / Teplitz-Turn (today Teplice-Trnovany):

[1] : Terracotta-, Majolica- und Fayencefabrik Josef Strnact (1881 until 1934)

Founded by Josef Strnact junior in 1881 the terracotta, majolica and faience factory in the former Austrian town of Turn-Teplitz (located 50km south of Dresden, Germany) was an instant success because of its wide product range. It included faience and majolica vases, garden pieces like flowerpots and pillars, umbrella stands, tobacco jars, mantel clock casings and continued over weaved and open worked stoneware like baskets and flower receptacles up to terracotta wall-pictures and a series of letters, which were made of majolica and used for company signs (system was patented by Strnact).

Strnact opened a subsidiary in Geisingen (near Schaffhausen in Baden-Wuertemberg) in the year 1902 which was named 'Terracotta-, Majolica- und Fayencefabrik Strnact Junior'. To cope with the rising demand, Strnact purchased the ceramic factory of Anton Heller in Turn-Teplitz in 1909 and up to 1910 his factories there alone employed over 300 people.

In the late 1920s, Karl Zöttlein and Josef Pachmann became authorised signatories after Strnact slowly began to retire and in 1934 the complete business including the studio in Geisingen was taken over by the businessmen Mr. Elly Schubert and Josef Pachmann but seems to have vanished shortly after that.

Marks

Image 1-01

Basic form of the mark used between around 1900 and 1933, the initials J.S. and a 'flower' on a shield.

Image 1-02

Impressed version, the 'flower' can barely be seen.

Image 1-03

Another example of the impressed version.

Image 1-04

A molded mark combined with a stamped mark. 'MADE IN AUSTRIA' shows that it was used before 1918.
(Picture by clockarium.org)

Image 1-05

Another example of both molded and stamped mark, the silvery stamped version is barely visible an the left.

Image 1-06

Claimed to have been used before 1918, but I am not convinced that it is a Strnact mark as it could also have be Josef Schachtel.