Wong Lee porcelain is frequently mistaken for the ware of the English potter William Lowe because both use the initials "WL". In practice, however, the resemblance ends there. 

• William Lowe's pottery was manufactured in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and bears quite different backstamps. 

• Wong Lee porcelain is a modern Chinese decorative product, first exported from Hong Kong in the late 1990s. 

• While the crowned "WL 1895" mark has undoubtedly caused confusion, the wares were produced in an ornate European Revival style rather than as copies of William Lowe's ceramics.

There appears to be no intention on the part of the manufacturer to deceive - 
the problem is one of misidentification on the part of collectors and resellers 

WL
1895

Wong Lee

WL
trade mark

William Lowe

WL
L

William Lowe

WL
L

William Lowe

The design of the backstamp has led many sellers and collectors to make the assumption that these pieces are English pottery by the Longton manufacturer William Lowe. 

In reality, they are modern Chinese decorative wares produced by Wong Lee International from the late 1990s onwards. Although the mark has caused considerable confusion, the wares themselves are not copies of William Lowe's products and are readily distinguishable by their style, construction and decoration.

This conclusion is supported by Gotheborg, one of the best-known online references for Chinese porcelain marks...

"Modern Chinese porcelain mark said to be made by the "Wong Lee" (WL) company. They are not copies of anything, it is just a company in China who is making pieces on the style of Napoleon III. Always with crackled grounds and with bronze (ormulu) fittings. 

A rumor that has it that this mark should be of "William Lowe", is incorrect. There are no similarities in type of wares or with any marks used by Wm Lowe. The date 1895 is unrelated to the date of the piece but is among other things the date of the end of the war between Japan and China." 

Further reading: Gotheborg – Antique Chinese and Japanese Porcelain Collectors

Crackled porcelain with Bronze handles and mount

on the base is the WL 1895 mark as shown

the initials and date are contained with in a shield, mounted by a crown and surrounded by laurel leaves 

Wong Lee porcelain is often misunderstood. 

The company produces attractive decorative porcelain in European Revival styles, including pieces inspired by Victorian, French and Art Nouveau designs. Their products are generally well made, with good quality decoration, gilding and elaborate mounts, and have found a market with collectors and interior decorators alike.

Although the crowned WL backstamp has led some sellers and buyers to associate the wares with the Longton potter William Lowe, there is no evidence that Wong Lee intended to represent its products as English pottery. Indeed, some examples are clearly marked "Made in China" and carry labels stating that they are intended for decorative use only. 

The confusion has arisen largely through mistaken identification by auctioneers, dealers and collectors rather than through any attempt by the manufacturer to mislead.

The confusion arises almost entirely from the initials "WL" and the crowned shield used in the Wong Lee backstamp. 

The style of the porcelain, its method of manufacture, and accompanying marks such as "Made in China" clearly distinguish it from the English pottery produced by William Lowe in Longton.