Help with Maker of this Porcelain Pot with Lid

I picked this up a couple of days ago and been researching and finding nothing like it. I may be wrong but does it look like Mother Mary?? It is about 5 inch tall with lid. That is flower bulbs on lid. Has the number 3904 and 21 on bottom. And was wondering why it looks like that on he bottom? with it being so black looking. Any help would be great! TIA everybody!!

 

I could be wrong, but this looks like pottery, not porcelain

 

Those "bulbs" on the lid look like garlic or shallots to me (which are bulbs.) The glaze on the sides looks an awful lot like garlic skin. And the woman on the side - just some pretty girl.

 

It looks Art Nouveau era, majolica and I think it might be a humidor.
I don't think it's a Madonna, but an ethereal Art Nouveau maiden.

 

Good observation @Bakersgma , it could be a garlic keeper.

 

Thanks, Laura. It may be. Right size.

 

Yes!!! It does look like a garlic bulb! I was wondering what it would even be used for. I wonder who the maker could be? It does look like it could have some age. Thanks everybody for all you do here on this site.

 

Looking at this again, I'm thinking the finial is lotus buds.

 

I think lauragarnet was correct in calling this a humidor or tobacco jar.
I think German in origin.

Some how I just don't see women in the late 1800s early 1900s having garlic keepers. I'm more inclined to think they kept it in a crock or had a pantry with drawers or down in a dry cellar.

I just don't see them having fancy jars in the kitchen. They were either hard working women keeping a family or they had servants.

 

I think you have it clutteredcloset49 researched what you said and l found one on eBay
http://m.ebay.com/itm/131857927541?_mwBanner=1
Looks like it to me. Thanks everybody!!!

 

Very good, even the bottom looks like yours with the same type of numbering.

 

Aren't Garlic Keepers supposed to have holes or 'vents' in them??? And I'm back to flower buds what with the green stems flowing off the edges.....JMHO!!!

 

The Madonna is virtually always dressed in blue, so I think she's a generic Art Nouveau maid, very pretty!

 

Lotus buds on a lily pad. Or water lily.

Would anyone else guess Austrian or German?

 

I would tend to think Austrian tobacco jar but very well could be German.

 

It could very well be Austrian.
Germany was came to mind first. But in looking at the wide unglazed band on the bottom and the size of the numbers, it may very well be Austrian.