How to Determine the Age of Bricks: A Practical Guide

Historical brick is becoming increasingly popular today - as a decorative element and as a bearer of history. But how do you know how old it is? Determining the age of a brick is almost archeology: you need to take into account its appearance, the method of production, and the context of the find. In this article, we will tell you how to approach this issue correctly.

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1. Pay attention to the brand

One of the most informative signs is the brand - the factory marking that was placed on bricks in the 19th - early 20th centuries. It may contain:

• Owner's initials or plant name.

• Geographical indication - city, county, province.

• Year of issue or decorative symbol (e.g. horseshoe, anchor, sun).

The stamp helps to accurately determine the period of production and the place. There were hundreds of brick factories in Russia, and many of them are documented. Searching through specialized catalogs (for example, "Stamps of bricks of the Russian Empire") often gives a quick result.

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2. Study the shape and size of the brick

The sizes and proportions of bricks changed over time:

• Hand-moulded (until mid-19th century): bricks often have uneven edges, uneven length and height.

• Mid to late 19th century: standardization emerges, sizes become more predictable.

• Soviet period (since the 1920s): GOSTs were introduced, bricks acquired a strict rectangular shape and repeatability.

For example:

• Old “royal” brick – approximately 27–29 cm in length.

• Soviet standard - 25 cm × 12 cm × 6.5 cm.

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3. Inspect the color and texture

The color of the brick depends on the composition of the clay and the firing method:

• Antique bricks (wood-fired) – multi-colored: from light orange to dark red and even black. The surface is uneven, rough.

• Modern bricks are uniform in color, smooth, and often covered with a thin crust from gas or electric firing.

Also, old bricks often contain inclusions: pebbles, straw, board or fingerprints.

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4. Assess technological traces

• Hand molding leaves unique marks on the bricks: prints of fabric, sand, fingers, protrusions on the ends.

• Mechanical molding (the turn of the 19th–20th centuries and later) leaves smooth, repeating edges, sometimes traces of cutting.

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5. Consider the context of the find

If a brick is found on the site of an old building, its age can be determined by the date of construction of the building (with an adjustment for possible alterations and reconstructions). In archeology, even the depth of the brick in the cultural layer is important.

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Conclusion

The age of a brick is a trace of time, which can be read by its stamps, size, color, and even roughness. If you find an interesting specimen, do not rush to put it in your masonry or interior - perhaps you have an object with a history of a century and a half in your hands. And if there is a stamp on the brick, it is almost a passport: with it you can accurately find out the origin and date of manufacture.