Crackled porcelain tea caddy

I have searched your site for information on "crackle glaze" Chinese porcelain but have not found comparable pieces that answer my question.

Recently, I purchased a 6 sided Canton blue and white crackle glaze tea caddy and feel somewhat certain it is a recent piece.

It appears to be Chinese Willow inspired in flow blue with an illegible reign mark to bottom and stands 5 3/4" tall with a heavy brass cap.

I've enclosed photos.

My experience with crackle glaze oriental wares is limited to celadon.

This piece looks too good to be authentic but I thought it worth sending along especially considering your recent trip was partly to investigate the "fake" market.

Probably early 20th century

Dear Sir, I would hesitate to call this tea caddy a "fake". Mostly since I don't feel it is made with an intention to deceive but rather to immitate a popular "antique" style.

The decoration is clearly made with some kind of printing technique and is not hand painted.

The specific technique was begun in Japan during the last decades of the 19th century.

During the modernization of the Chinese industry which came to be in the 1930s I believe some experiments was made with blue and white transfer printing in China too.

Due to the strange mark - Hall of something Zhi - it is really hard to say from which country this tea caddy really is - it could have been made in Japan or in England even if China seems the most likely.

I am sorry for the uncertainty but much more then this I can't tell you out of my own experience. If something comes up, I will add it to this page in time.

I hope this helps some anyway.

Thank you for your interest.

Best regards,
Jan-Erik Nilsson