Gartcraig Scotland found in the USA
— 24/09/2024Found by Ken Sousa in Massachusetts, USA. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
Many thanks to Vladimir Smirnov for the following information.
This brick was found in St Petersburg, Russia by Georgiy.
This Bald brick should be manufactured by Alexander Bald, Alloa Brick & Tile Works, Alloa, Clackmannanshire.
All known bricks marked BALD, are accompanied by the initial ‘A’ – A. BALD.
The top line has 3 Russian Cyrillic letters which translate to A P K.
If this brick is an original BALD product manufactured in Scotland then the top line of Russian letters could easily be some form of advertising in order to encourage further Russian sales. Apparently, the lettering does not make sense in Russian but this may simply have been a mistake on the translator working for Mr Bald.
It could, however, be a forgery, manufactured elsewhere than in Scotland. In saying that the style and size of the lettering, the shape of the frog with the scalloped corners and the colour of the brick are very very similar to an original Bald brick.
Below – The above brick was found in Russia and as it was the first to be recorded there was the possibility that it was a Russian forgery however since then, two similar bricks have been found in and near Alloa which now points heavily to this brick being manufactured in Alloa by Mr Bald. The 3 Russian Cyrillic letters do not seem to mean anything directly but surely it was either meant as an advertising gimmick for the Russian market or indeed the letters represent a Russian customer … perhaps the person translating for Mr Bald got it wrong!
Below – A similar brick found by Ian Suddaby on the Firth of Forth.
Below – Another as found by Bill Duff in Alloa