15th 18th 20th Detecting the Fakes Dating and Connoisseurship Of Chinese Ceramics By: Associate Profesor Dr. Asyaari Muhamad The Institute Of The Malay World & Civilization (ATMA) Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
COPY A thing made to be similar or identical to another FAKE A thing that is not genuine Forge or counterfeit A copy with an intention to deceive 18th 15th 20th 2
Christie s London July, 12, 2005 Yuan blue and white jar with a drama scene D:33cm Price: 15,688,000 Beijing: Aug 31, 05 Beijing: Jun 2006 Beijing: Nov 2007 3
Scientific Examination
Laboratory examinations Surface & cross-sectional microscopy by: SEM: Scanning electron microscopy Optical microscopy Layers of Celadon glaze Body SEM One hare s fur 5
Examination of glaze/body structure Red Haloes 18 th 15 th Red glaze 6
Laboratory examinations Compositional Analysis by: XRF: X-ray flourescence spectroscopy NAA: Neutron Activation Analysis XRD: X-ray diffraction EDX: Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis OES: Optical emission spectroscopy PIXE: Particle induced X-ray Emission XRF 7
Finger-printing of body and glaze By XRF, NAA XRD, EDX OES, PIXE 8
Scientific Dating
TL-dating Thermo-luminescence Dating TL: emission of light from an insulator or semiconductor when heated Release of energy stored in the form of trapped electrons Thro absorption of nuclear radiation Firing of clay sets TL-clock to zero TL then grows with time Age = Overall radiation Dosage Dosage per year 10
TL-dating 11
TL Dating sample extracting Sample Cut by a Diamond circular saw CUHK TL lab Core-drill holes 12
Sample requirements for tests Destructive vs non-destructive No sample (completely non-destructive) Visually non-destructive, but interior microstructure altered Micro-sample (less than 0.5mm) Macro-sample (core drill 3 x 3 mm) 13
Totally Non-destructive Use your own eyes
Seeing ceramics Visual examination: Get a feel of the object Pick it up, feel its weight Judge the thickness Cross-sectional shapes Degree of symmetry warping Tap it lightly notice the ring Hold it in front of a strong light translucence Glaze surface smooth, dimples, crawling 15
3 Basic Characteristics for any piece of ceramics TYPE/CLASS Doucai ware Famille verte Famille rose Enamel painted Polychromes Underglaze red Blue and white Monochromes White glazed Celadon Earthenware DATE/ CHRONOLOGY Neolithic Xia Shang Zhou Qin/Han N & S Dynasties Sui/Tang Song Yuan Ming Qing Republic Modern KILN/WARE Yue Xing Ding Longquan Juan Qingbai Jindezhen Temmoku Yixing Dehua Zhangzhou Shiwan 16
Memory Database: 3-D Chart for the identification of Chinese ceramics 17
Qing famille rose Bowl, 18 th Century 14 th C-Yuan qingbai White glazed ewer 3-D CHART 18
Extend observation beyond the naked eye Bubble structure of glaze Mineral particles: Precipitates -Temmoku Textures, drips Running of cobalt blue under the glaze Overglaze painted details Interior structure Patina, earth encrustations 10X Loupes Pen- lights 19
Feel the restorations Finger 20
Some Useful features Dealers tips
12th-14 th 3 rd -4 th Firing 14th Devices 11 th -12th 22
Supporting spurs Jin, 4 th C Han Song - Yuan Late Tang 23
Disc foot to wide-ring to foor-rings to central nipple Tang Tang Song N. Song Yuan S. Song-Yuan Fired upside down 24
Supporting spurs Ru-ware 12 th Century Swatow 16 th Century 25
Potter s finger-nail marks along foot 26
Oxidation Secondary Oxidation on celadon wares 12 th C NEW 14thC 14 th C 27
New foot-rings X Guan X Qingbai X Ming X Celadon 28
Flaking of glaze Zhou jar, olive glaze Song qingbai ewer 29
Mouldy degrading of glaze 30
Glaze degrading Carved Yaozhou ware bowls 12 th Century X 31
Silvery Irridescence on Han lead glazed pottery GOOD FAKE 32
Crackle on Tang Sancai-tri colour Tang sancai FAKE GOOD FAKE GOOD 33
Glaze crackles Guan ware 12 th Cent Scale-like NEW 11 th Cent Ru-ware 34
Earth Encrustation NEW OLD NEW 35
Tree-roots Fungi growing in the burial Warring-States 3 rd Cent BCE 36
Barnacles on shipwreck pieces 37
Barnacles Good ones Fake 38
Faked barnacles FAKE GOOD 39
Irridescence (haloes) Overglazed enamels Purple & green, 17 th -18 th Cent 40
Heap-and-pile effect 14th 15th 41
Blue and whites From late 15 th to 19 th centuries 16th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 42
Orange peel effect (pimples) Common on early 15 th Century pieces 43
RIPPLING GLAZE SURFACE (19 th Century) 44
Stylistic Considerations
Sensitive to form changes Meiping-vase forms: from 14 th to 15 th Centuries 14 Late14 15 15 Yuan Hongwu Yongle Xuande 46
Vase forms Kangxi period Qing 1662-1722 47
Ming Ge-glaze bowl, Song/Ming Song 48
Yongle Small cups 16 th 15 th Cent 49
Ewers 15 th vs 18th 50
15th 18th Blue and white bottle 20th 51
18 th and late 19th X 52
Tang sancai tripod, reproduced by Shanghai Museum X 53
Yaozhou vase 11 th- 12th Cent. X 54
X Phoenix-headed, 11 th Cent 55
X Ewer, 14 th Cent 56
X Hare s fur, 13/14 th cent 57
Jun ware, 12 th C X 58
X 14 th Cent 59
Hongwu, late 14 th Cent, Copper red yuhuchun bottle X 60
X Moon flask, 15 th Cent. 61
X 15 th century form 62
CONCLUSION & ADVICE
Construct your own Memory Database Chart 64
Suggested Further Readings 65
Suggested Further Readings Medley, Margaret. The Chinese Potter: A Practical History of Chinese Ceramics. Oxford: Phaidon Press, 1982. Vainker, Shelagh. Chinese Pottery and Porcelain: From Prehistory to the Present. London: British Museum Press, 1995. He Li. Chinese Ceramics, The New Standard Guide. London: Thames and Hudson, 1996. Pierson, Stacey. Earth, Fire and Water: Chinese Ceramic Technology, A Handbook for Non-specialists. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 1996. Lu Chenglong (ed). A Contrast between Genuine and Fake Porcelain and the Porcelain Specimens from Ancient Kiln Sites Collected in the Palace Museum, Beijing: Forbidden City Publishing House, 1998 (in Chinese but with lots of illustrations for comparison). 66
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