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Fake Chinese Pottery

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Chinese Pottery, Modern Technology vs The Human Eye
So who is better at detecting fake Chinese pottery and Chinese porcelain? Does modern technology do a better job than the experts human eye?

Thermoluminescence
Thermoluminescence has been used by museums and auction house to certify pieces for over 20 years. The process involves taking a very tiny sample of the object radiation level are measured in the sample to determine how long ago the Chinese pottery was kiln fired. The biggest problem with thermoluminescence is that the best fakes do not use new material but instead take old dated pottery or clay and alter it. Fake Chinese pottery also try and put a out coating of this old clay or put it in places were hopefully the thermoluminescence sample will be taken. The test is more effective on Chinese porcelain because it is much harder to alter porcelain and rework it without it being very visible to the human eye.

X-Ray
Taking X-rays of Chinese pottery can be done in combination with thermoluminescence to help determine if a piece has been altered or reworked. The X-ray can strip away the layers that are concealed and expose a fake. The use of X-rays is not widely done however. Most will have a expert examine a piece instead.

Chinese Pottery Experts
Its important to note that faking Chinese pottery and Chinese porcelain is not new its been done for over a thousand years. Experts in Chinese pottery are good at determining fakes from looking at shape, color, glaze texture, and weight. He can use his judgment to see if all these characteristics match up with the time period the piece is suppose to be from. The expert has the experience of having held thousands of real pieces in his hand something the counterfeiter has not had. Some methods of making new pieces appear old include soaking the object in chemicals or animal urine. Intentional cracking is also done to make a piece of Chinese pottery appear old. Ash is temporarily put in the cracks to age it.

Very valuable works require both modern technology and a experts eye to guarantee authenticity.