When it comes to verifying the authenticity of antiques, many people believe that high-tech testing methods are foolproof. However, even scientific methods can be tricked, especially when it comes to porcelain.
Porcelain has seen a dramatic rise in value over the past decade, with pieces that once cost a few thousand yuan now selling for tens or even hundreds of thousands. This surge in value has led to a boom in counterfeiting, with fraudsters using advanced techniques to create convincing fakes. One of the most surprising methods involves using X-rays to make new porcelain appear ancient.
The High-Stakes Purchase
A prestigious European museum recently planned to purchase six pieces of Chinese Tang Sancai pottery at an astronomical price. To ensure the authenticity of these pieces, the museum used the latest thermoluminescence technology to date them. The results were shocking: three of the pieces appeared to be over 4,000 years old, far older than the Tang Dynasty itself, which began just over 1,300 years ago.
Upon consulting experts, it was discovered that these three items had been deliberately exposed to artificial radiation. This exposure caused the thermoluminescence test to show an age much older than the actual creation of the pottery.
A Hong Kong Antique Dealer’s Mystery
In the 1980s, a Hong Kong antique dealer bought a batch of high-quality Tang Sancai imitations in Henan. When he sold them in Hong Kong, a customer had one piece tested using thermoluminescence, and it passed as an authentic Tang Dynasty artifact. Excited, the dealer had more pieces tested, but they were identified as modern fakes.
Confused, the dealer realized that only the pieces he had personally brought back on the plane passed the test, while those shipped by land did not. After much deliberation, he connected the dots: the airport security check, which used X-rays, was the culprit. The X-rays had altered the porcelain, making it appear ancient in the tests.
To confirm his theory, he took some fake porcelain to the airport, had it go through security, and then sent it for testing. Sure enough, the pieces were identified as ancient antiques. The secret behind thermoluminescence dating had been cracked.
The Pitfalls of Relying on Technology
Collectors who rely solely on modern scientific tests to verify antiques can easily be deceived. For instance, counterfeiters can use old rice paper from the same period as genuine ancient paintings, making it difficult for tests to differentiate between fake and real.
Similarly, with Han Dynasty wooden figurines fetching high prices, some have taken wood from ancient coffins and carved it into figurines that can pass advanced testing.
The rise of “highly imitated antiques” made with modern technology means that scientific appraisals should only be one tool in the authentication process. Relying exclusively on high-tech methods without considering traditional expertise can lead to costly mistakes and deception.
In conclusion, while high-tech methods can be helpful, they are not infallible. A combined approach, using both scientific and traditional methods, is essential to navigate the complex world of antique authentication and avoid falling victim to sophisticated counterfeits.
