19 Nov 2019

Finally! Here’s how you can authenticate ceramics using their bottoms.

In order to authenticate ceramics, we can use styles, temperature glaze, patterns, understanding the historical contexts and cultural background. To authenticate a single type is complicated enough, as even the same kiln mouths across different dynasties is also different. Therefore, to differentiate the real from the imitation, there must be a quick way to do it.

The bottom of the ceramic can give such a breakthrough. It is like the reading the human internal organs. By grasping the five internal organs, together with comprehensive, you can easily discern the real and avoid the fakes.

Blue and White Lotus Flower Plate, Bottom

For example, "protrusion" and "spin marks" in the foot (including field threads and cut lines), "knife marks", "brown eyes", "flint red" (kiln red), "scratch marks", " The lake bottom, the "knocking bottom", the "dip kiln sand" are all obvious chronological codes left by ancient porcelain.

Sharp Protrusions
It is one of the characteristics of ancient porcelain before Ming.

In the Yuan Dynasty, the protrusions were obvious. In the early Ming Dynasty, the protrusions were also larger, and the Hongwu period was getting smaller. Yongle and Xuande had small protrusions. Although Chenghua Hongzhi and Zhengde protrusions were rare, they reappeared again in Jiajing period and Wanli period, and it was not until Chongzhen that there was no more such protrusions.

Protrusions

Swivel
Including "jumping marks", it was more obvious in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

In the Song Dynasty, the inner wall of the foot also had a half-turn of knife-cutting marks, causing the middle to erect a spine. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, there were often heavy knife slant marks on the outer wall of the foot, and there were often radial field threads at the bottom of the foot during Ming Zhengde.

Swivels
Knife Marks

Brown eye
Also called the needle nostrils, Kangxi's bottom glaze often has different sizes of "brown eyes", uneven density, but the carcass is clearly seen from the "brown eyes" regardless of size.

In the Guangxu Republic of China and now the works of Kangxi, the "brown eyes" are large and shallow, and the carcass is generally not seen in the "brown eyes".

Brown Eyes

Flint red
"Flint Red" (kiln red), due to the high iron content in the soil before the Ming Dynasty, when heated, the exposed tires are oxidized into brick red and even liver color.

The flint red in the kiln of the Ming Dynasty is particularly strong, and it has been lighter in the late Ming Dynasty, but it is also common in the Ming Xuande. Flint red was still visible until the early Qing Dynasty.

The flint red of the imitation is completely different, and some are painted with glaze, which is frivolous and some are yellowish.

Flint Red
Imitation

Rice Paste bottom
The front and bottom of the Ming and Ming Dynasties, due to the high iron content in the tires, should be ventilated and cooled at high temperatures after burning, and the bottom of the blown sand is oxidized into traces of burnt rice.

Rice Paste bottom

Knock on the bottom
When the road is light, the blush is thick. Because the glaze is thick, it flows to the bottom and burns together with the mat to make it separate. The artificial had to be knocked open, causing the foot to be like a dog bite.

Knock on the Bottom

Kiln sand
Due to the specific kiln process in the past, the bottom of the bowl is often thicker with kiln sand. For example, the bottom of the magnetic kiln bowl is covered with coarse kiln sand. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, many bowls and other porcelains are also stained. There is kiln sand.

Generally speaking, the ancient ceramics have a dry bone, but the imitations are different, and they are light or slippery.

Kiln Sand

The identification of ancient porcelain is both a wide and in-depth discipline. The characteristics of the above-mentioned various ancient porcelain feet are one of the important basis for judging authentic and imitation porcelain.

Collection exchange: cyh605384675

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