W.L Pottery Mark - fits the criteria for original..is it?

by Kevin Craig
(Opotiki, New Zealand)

W.L. Pottery Mark Query - Is It An Original?

W.L. Pottery Mark Query - Is It An Original?

Hi

I bought this vase in a shop where everything was very very old. It has the blue W.L...the metal looks very old..What is this worth do you think?
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Reply by Peter (admin)

To:- W.L Pottery Mark - fits the criteria for original..is it? Query

Kia Ora Kevin

Beware - this undoubtedly handsome piece is Wong Lee fakery!

See below for more info.

Best regards,

Peter (admin)

Comments for W.L Pottery Mark - fits the criteria for original..is it?

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Phony 1895 Mark
by: Diana

I bought a piece also with the same marks in red dated 1895 but mine also has Rn and looks like a Chinese symbol on it to the right above the other . My dish also has the bronze legs with lions. Bought from a garage sale which the lady told me she had paid 180.00 in antique store. I paid her 15.00 dollars. Definitely this seems to be a phony?? Comment please. Thank You

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Peter (admin) says:

If the mark looks like the WL Wong Lee mark - it sounds like a modern Chinese piece. However, although they put the silly 1895 date and then pretend it is not really meant to imply a date, don't forget a lot of these Lee items are actually attractive to look at as reproductions and quite a bit of skill goes into their making. Remember, I am for the pottery workers because I am one!

Peter (admin)
art nouveau porcelain pitcher
by: Berzenczey

I bought a replica of an art nouveau style porcelain pitcher with a bronze mermaid figurine as its handle. Its mark is "M. T.P. Anno 1910" under a woman's face. I would like to identify its manufacturer. Can it be Wong Lee or some other Chinese factory?
Porcelain items marked M.T.P. Anno 1910
by: T. D. Yean

Refering to the message from Berzenczey, I recently bought 3 pieces of matching art nouveau style porcelain pieces which also bore similar mark on the base - M.T.P. Anno 1910. I have no idea who the manufacturer is but the items were puchased at a flea (antique)market in Zagreb, Croatia. I was told by the seller that she bought the items from a town in Slovenia. The items are: a 12in tall oil pitcher (USD 90), a 15in tall wine pitcher (USD 100) and a 10 in tall rectangular vase (USD 90). All were painted with yellow flowers and stylised green leaves. The pitchers had decorative bronze covers and handles while the vase was encased in similar bronze decoration.

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Peter (admin says):-

Hi and many thanks for this really interesting contribution. I have never come across a pottery mark M.T.P. (it is not listed in any of my books or online except on this page) and I think 1910 sounds very much like a made up number like the 1865 Wong Lee. There is a slim chance it may be a genuine local mark of Eastern Europe unknown to the Western experts - it would be interesting to find out.
Fake "M. T.P. Anno 1910"
by: Duped in Zagreb

Re: T. D. Yean and Berzenczey

I too bought an art nouveau style oil pitcher (90 euro) in the Brit Square flea market in Zagreb matching your description.

Upon later expectation and online research I realized that the metallic pieces are soldered together haphazardly (often a sign of forgery).

The base piece contains two holes equally spaced apart that appear to serve for wall mounts if soldered to another piece.

Is the below item similar to the one you purchased?


fake art nouveau decanter



I sincerely hope no further tourists are duped.
Re:T. D. Yean
by: Anonymous

Some years have passed saince I bought the item mentioned and I have become quite convinced that all pieces from this family are being manufactured at present in China. There are simply too many identical pieces both in Hungary and in Romania. The price of a pitcher is around 13000 forints ( around 40 Euros). I personally wouldn't buy any more of these. I do not have any proof that they are manufactured in China, burt they are definitely present day fakes. I am also convinced that they are not made in Hungary or Romania.
Re TD Yean
by: Berzenczey

The item in the picture was also offered to me, it is definitely the same family of products. I bought a pitcher with a bronze woman as handle.
Art Nouveau Porcelain Pieces from Zagreb
by: T.D.Yean

The art nouveau oil pitcher I bought from Britansky Sq, Zagreb is similar to the picture shown by Duped in Zagreb. The bronze casing is identical but the porcelain piece inside is different. Mine has stylised green arches(typical art nouveau) and yellow lotus pad-like leaves. I can't tell if it's made in China but the design is obviously hand-drawn as the lines and borders are raised and not smooth and flat. The surface of the glaze also shows fine cracks - usually a sign of age. Maybe it is a fake, but it's very attractive. I made a mistake in my post - they said the pieces are from Slavonia (a region of Croatia) not Slovenia (a small country to the north of Croatia).
Fake porcelain
by: Berzenczey

Unfortunately, now I am absolutely convinced that all members of the family of this kind of cracked porcelain with bronze fittings are fakes. Actually there is a site where they sell them as modern day items.
actual price of a vase (m.t.p. anno 1910)
by: miguel

Yesterday I was sold at a flea market in Spain two pieces similar to the image of this page and with the same mark. Their prices were exorbitant and they assured me that they were antiques. I started researching on the Internet and then read this page. I have seen the vase of this page and one that I bought in a the same catalog on a website online sale of objects. I could not know the price because they require that subscribe me but it is clear that they are not antiques. In my case, it was a fraud. I've already contacted the seller to charge me a fair price or, otherwise, I would denounce him. Please, could someone tell me what would be the approximate price of the piece that appears on this page ?. Thank you.

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