Most Remued pieces were made in a series of standard shapes and had a number denoting the shape incised underneath. The main reason for the number was to facilitate stock control during production and sales ordering.

Collectors of Remued face a confusing picture. There were hundreds of shapes and, as output and styles changed over time, numbering systems changed. Premier Pottery Preston's most productive years saw two main numbering series, 'Early' and 'Later'. There were also other series, including 'Pamela' plus others known today from just fragmentary evidence. When a complete new numbering system was adopted the most popular current shapes continued in production in the new series but received new numbers. As a result, the same number may be found on two or more different shapes, and a particular shape may be found with two or more different numbers. The situation is even further complicated by the practice in the early years of re-assigning disused numbers to new shapes.

The account given here traces the various numbering series in chronological order. It is set in its historical background, but the reader wishing to know more about the history of Premier Pottery Preston should consult articles by Catherine Webb, Gregory Hill and Noris Ioannou in the 'Gumnuts and Glazes' exhibition catalogue. Also, Michael West's website auspottery.com  has excellent short historical summaries of Australian potteries of the 1930s including Premier.

Some of the dates assigned here are tentative. For a discussion of  evidence for the dates adopted here, see;

       *  Which series does a piece belong to?            

             Dating Indicators (including foil stickers).