The plain finish would be more period-appropriate.
Also, I would think that the crackle finish would be more of a beast to keep clean. All those little cracks attracting dirt and grease in a kitchen....hard job to keep it all shiney.
[just my 2 cents]

Pick what you like. We just picked crazed tile for the backsplash in our 1920's house. In the long run your kitchen is probably going to look like an early-21st-century kitchen done over when it was trendy to use early-20th-centuryy-looking "subway" tiles. :) I don't think dirt would be a big problem on the backsplash, but I wouldn't use the crazed tile for a countertop.

I have a friend who has the original 1920's white subway tile in her kitchen floor-to-ceiling (very high celing!) and it is so fabulous. I don't think she realizes how fabulous it is, since it is of course very old, and everyone else around here has new kitchens with granite, etc. But I think it's great. Also, I went to someone's house recently who is redoing the kitchen & butler's pantry in her 1920's bungalow with black granite counters and white subway tile backsplashes with very dark grey grout & white cabinets and it's a knock-out. (Neither kitchen had crazed tiles). Wish I could share a pic! Good luck!

Thanks to all for your comments! Infoartist, the tiles that I have in mind (although price may be prohibitive) look just like the old ones. No pillow top, the surface is flat to the edge so the tiles can be butted together with little or no grout lines. I think everyone is right about the crazed surface; I had my doubts and you've all just confirmed them! If I go with the subway tile it'll be the plain surface.

athomein1914, I have Jane Powell's Bungalow Kitchens, I love it! I will look for The Kitchen Book as well. (And I just got your name; I've been mentally saying "Ath-o-mine." Ha!) And I am seriously considering linoleum or marmoleum for the floor. I'm concerned about upkeep, though; I am NOT an enthusiastic housekeeper and anything that needs frequent waxing and wax removal is not going to happen, I know myself too well. My mom could cope with waxy yellow buildup; I work full-time and have other uses for my off-hours!

There is evidence in my main bath upstairs that the walls once had subway tile on them, which was removed at some time in the past. I wonder if, in 30 years, people will be trying to recreate the 60s and 70s looks that we're all tearing out now. I have to keep reminding myself that the POs were not heartless vandals, they were merely renovating a house that was looking dated at the time. All that old 20s stuff was just tired-looking in their eyes; they were a lot closer to it.

Well, we're trying to be gentle to the old girl; this is a lovely house and we want to walk that fine line between making the place a museum, and having a functional home that honors its past.

Here is a link that might be useful: Way more pictures of our house than you'd ever want to look at.

So, let's tawk.

I just discovered Subway Ceramics today. I am contemplating installing their white 3x6 for a kitchen backsplash (white Ikea kithcen--Lidingo--with oak floors, stainless steel perimeter counters and lyptus butcher block island top). Has anyone installed SC's product (or had it installed?) Frankly, I am worried that my tileman (who I am sure is proficient but no artisan) will not get the 1/16" grout lines right, which I want gray-colored.

Also,I am at odds with my wife and decorator over this. They want handmade white-glazed terracotta 3x6 subway with irregularities in the size--and white grout. I'm sure it's a nice look, but it ain't what they got in the subway.

I'm from New York City and had a "train pass" in high school. I'm also a lifelong subway buff who visited the old Jay St. Transit Museum at least 20 times. Wife and Decorator are from Jersey...nome sayin?

Anyway, my wife is cool with me making the ultimate call on the backsplash 'cuz she is in total control of exterior and interior paint colors, but we still need to hammer out all the kinks, so to speak.

Anyway, I'm wondering whether I should believe the hype that SC spews about being the only manufacturer of truly flat, square-edged subway tile. Also, is obtaining uniform 1/16 " grout lines some kind of tremendous installation challenge? Comment?

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.subwayceramics.com/

My GC says that these tiles (from Subway Ceramics) have the vast advantage of being flat, when you lay them on a flat surface. Apparently other tiles (Irongate was mentioned specifically) will sometimes rock. All four corners don't touch down at the same time. Those, he tells me, cannot be put on a wall to produce a nice, flat, even surface. They can still look very good, but if you want that perfect flat surface, you need those rectified, flat tiles.

I'm going for it. They will be installed sometime after the fourth of July. We ordered from Subway Ceramics and I have every confidence it's going to look great!

One note. You may want to post over in the kitchens forum. There are a lot of folks there who've installed subway tiles and they may have lots more to say than I do.

Here is a link that might be useful: The kitchen forum

Another source for the authentic flat subway tile is American Restoration Tile. I got samples from both Subway Ceramics and American Restoration Tile. Both are very nice, but slightly different colors -- Subway's are a crisper white, ART's are a little creamier. I didn't get prices yet, so I don't know how they compare cost-wise.

Also, I don't know if you're doing any bathroom tiling, but American also has a great selection of the unglazed floor tiles -- they're the only ones I've found that have the unglazed penny rounds I desperately want for my powder room!

Here is a link that might be useful: American Restoration Tile

Hi , Please tell me where i can purchase 3x6 subway ceramic in gloss white in Chicago . I am getting the run around . I want to do my kitchen back splash in May. thank you !

Subway Ceramics is located in Oak Park, otherwise you can just go to Home Depot and get the cheap stuff.

Yes, if you are looking for the actual Subway Ceramics brand ( a division of Heritage Tile) they are in Oak Park and lovely people to work with. They deal directly with homeowners now. I did our bathroom with them last year and was really pleased with the product and the service. I was aiming for a period restoration bathroom and their tile really made the difference.

If you want something mid-range, get Dal Tile subways.