What mark is this?

[newcollector]

So here's another thing I bought a couple of months ago. It's a red jug in the shape of some kind of an animal, with a lid on top. And it looks really old, but not being an expert in these things, I'm not positive that it is. There's also a chinese mark on the bottom that I can't identify.So my questions are, what animal is this jug in the shape of? What does the mark say? And is this a genuine antique or do I have another dud on my hands?

[peterp]

Please read this, and the links at the bottom: http://www.chinese-antique-porcelain.com/teapot-marks.html
Not being involved in teapot collecting I see many around me all the time. This one looks as if it was made in a mould or the decoration was impressed; in reality quality teapots are all made by master artisans by hand. In my view this is of very low quality with a not-so-good try at age faking.