Are Royal Worcester painted fruit pieces always signed by the artist?

Many Royal Worcester hand-painted pieces have the artist’s signature or initials, but signatures are not universal. Factory marking practices have varied over the decades, and some pieces only show printed factory marks and pattern or mold numbers. Museum materials confirm the Painted Fruit tradition and its establishment by the 1920s, but a missing signature does not necessarily mean a fake. Start with the base, make sure the Royal Worcester factory mark is period-appropriate, then assess the quality of the painting. Compare it to documented examples of fruit painters and museum pieces. Watch for suspiciously modern-looking signatures, careless gilding, or painting that lacks depth.