Posted 12 years ago
oilman514
(107 items)
Have not a clue what it is or if its old or not but i liked it and bought it, If anyone has some info on this piece that would be awesome. Its marked 12 on the bottom corner and inside the lid.
Thanks,
Robert
Hi oilman! This is a pretty piece you found. :-) I can't really tell anything much about it from the photos. I can get a general idea of how big it is, but can't tell if it's a transfer print or if it's painted. Just off the cuff, it was made after early 1891 because of the "made in china" on the bottom. (The McKinley Tariff, which took effect March 1,1891, required that all imported goods be stamped in English with their country of origin) And just from what I can see in the pictures it does look like it has a little age on it because of the discoloring of the bottom and the unglazed portions along the edges of the bottom and the rim. Also, because there is a number on both the bottom and the top, it makes me think it may be more than just a new "knock off' piece. The crazing or crackling look is suggestive of being older, but is often seen in modern pieces to evoke a more aged appearance. These days you pretty much have to have recognized maker's marks and/or a chance to see items 'live' to really get an idea as to age from any kiln marks or glaze defects if it's not an easily recognized maker or design. I wish I could tell you more, but hopefully someone will take a look and recognize it and be able to give you a better idea of its age. I love it! Good luck on your hunt for info! :-)
Thanks for the info, Jim! I knew that there was some issue with a different date than the date March 1,1891 I posted when it came to German, Czech and Japanese products (ie:occupied Japan) but didn't know that. Is that the same for all countries or was it just China that had to include the 'made in' at that time? I'll add this to my mental rolodex. :-)
Thanks Jim! I appreciate you taking the time to post that. :-) I thought you might be interested in this link that explains some of the oddities of markings both from Japan and Europe, especially Germany. There are conflicting things at different sites, but this one seems to be pretty good for a free site.
Oooops.. hit enter too soon! http://www.porcelainmarksandmore.com/resources/historical.php
Its mid 20th Century from probably 1953 to 1960s, nice though:)
Its a storage container probably for storing tea, but can be used to store anything.