Identifying Fake Chinese Ceramics

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The Chalre Collection - Ceramic Treasures of Southeast Asia - Chinese Porcelain and Stoneware

Collecting Ceramics

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Advanced Authentication

Scientific Analysis

FAKE CERAMICS

The Story of Fakes

Museum of Fake Ceramics

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Chalre Collection

The focus of The Chalre Collection is Chinese and Asian Tradeware Ceramics -- in other words, Ceramics that were traded throughout Asia. Tradeware Ceramics (Porcelain, Stoneware and Earthenware) tell the story of how the peoples of Asia forged social and commercial ties with each other during ancient times.

Of the many thousands of traded items over the centuries, Ceramics is the only one durable enough to have survived into modern times to give us a record of Asia's past.

The Ceramic Art collection of Chalre Associates came about through the efforts of the firm's principals, Rebecca Bustamante and Richard Mills. It is their intention that a significant portion of The Chalre Collection become property of a museum foundation or other public body in the future.

In creating the collection, major recognition must be given to Jose (Joe) Yusef Makmak for his considerable support and friendship. Our thoughts are with Joe, formerly a prominent ceramic antiquities dealer in Philippines, who passed away in 2008.

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Chalre Associates is a regional provider of Executive Search services in the emerging countries of the Asia Pacific region. Multinational companies use us to bridge the gap between the local environment and their world-class requirements countries like Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Our purpose is to enhance these organizations by identifying, attracting and developing outstanding people.

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+632 822 4129

ceramics@chalre.com
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Buying Chinese Ceramic Art - How to Authenticate

How to Identify Fake Ceramics

ADVANCED AUTHENTICATION:

Techniques Requiring Study

Here are a few techniques that sophisticated collectors watch out for in determining authenticity. Much research is required to be able to use these effectively. This section will be expanded at a later phase of the website's development.

1. Incorrect Colours for a Period

In the early days of Blue and White Porcelain, Chinese potters only had access to cobalt blue pigment from Arabian traders. Called Mohamadan Blue, it was dark in shade and most pieces during the eras it was used had dark blue decoration. In later centuries, the Chinese figured how to refine their own cobalt blue but it was lighter in shade. Therefore, decoration on later pieces is lighter and has more varied shading on designs.

As well, some colours were not used by potters until later in the Qing dynasty period because the technology for their production did not exist.

These are simple examples to this complex and very interesting authentication method.

2. Incorrect Designs for a Period

Certain types of designs were fashionable during different periods. For instance, grapes as a design motif was popular in the last Yuan and early Ming dynasties but later went out of taste and were seldom seen again. Another example is the eyes of human figures which altered their shapes from period to period.

The Chinese emperor also periodically dictated what designs were acceptable on Porcelains. Five clawed dragons were generally used to designate the emperor and most Imperial Porcelain were painted as such.

3. Ancient Base With New Body

Over the past century, huge quantities of Ceramics were smashed to pieces. The Cultural Revolution was particularly abusive to fine Chinese Porcelains.

Today, entrepreneurial potters are seeking out bottoms of shattered pieces and building new Ceramics on top. Given that much of China currently resembles a construction site, it is not difficult to uncover piles of smashed Ceramics and to pick through them. It is a clever idea since many collectors look at the base for key indicators of age and authenticity.

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