Probably the first question that a collector or a dealer will ask when confronted with a piece of Paragon is - when was it made or how old is it?

To a certain extent this can be answered by examining the mark or backstamp usually found on the base. Unfortunately, this alone will often only result in a very rough estimate, as some of the marks were in use over an extended period of time and the end of many periods cannot be determined with any accuracy, as Paragon continued to use some marks until the supply of transfers employed to produce them was depleted or the rubber stamp used was worn out.

However, additional information, enabling a better estimate of the age of a piece of Paragon, is often available in the form of the marked design registration number and/or the pattern number. No piece could have been produced, either bearing a particular registration number until after that number had been issued or, displaying a particular pattern number until that number had been allocated and the pattern introduced. Consequently, pattern numbers, as well as the style of the backstamp, are important to the Paragon collector for purposes of dating.

Paragon pattern numbers are the numbers in coloured enamel on the base of pieces, hand written by the decorator or paintress before the final firing stages in the production process. The colour is often the same as one of those used at the hand finishing stage of the pattern. The number comprises up to four digits and there are several series. All series have a letter prefix with the exception of the first series. Prefix letters include X, F, G, and A. Some numbers also include a suffix of the form /1, /2, /3, etc. which describes the colourway when several similar, but differently coloured, versions of a pattern were available. Thus, 1186, 8559/1, X169, X3036/1, F43, F1296/2, G71, G2524/2, A657/5 and A2857 are all examples of Star China and Paragon pattern numbers.

During the lifetime of Star China and Paragon, which amounted to close on 100 years and spanned most of the 20th century, the Company produced some 30,000 patterns, that is, some 30,000 pattern numbers were allocated. These patterns were not all identifiably different, on some occasions, new numbers were allocated when patterns were reissued or revised, ie reworked to fit different cup shapes, etc.

Though some patterns were also given names, and Paragon relied on pattern names for identification to a greater extent after about 1960, most were not. As a very rough estimate, it is unlikely that more than about 1000 of the 30,000 allocated pattern numbers were named. Further, there are many examples of pieces of named patterns without a name and there are also examples of known named patterns being marked with the wrong name, especially on preWW2 pieces of the 1930s. In general, if a piece is not marked with a pattern name, the chances are that the pattern was unnamed. For this reason, it is always better to rely on the pattern number (see above) for purposes of identification and matching. This was the method used by Paragon at the time of manufacture.