The faking and forgery of works of art and antiquities is probably now more extensive than ever before. The frauds are aided by new technologies, from ink jet printers to epoxy resins, and driven by the astronomic prices realised on the global market. This book aims to provide a comprehensive survey of the subject over a wide range of materials, emphasising how the fakes and forgeries are produced and how they may be detected by technical and scientific examination. The subject is exemplified by numerous case studies, some turning out not to be as conclusive as is sometimes believed. The book is aimed at those likely to have a serious interest in these investigations, be they curator, collector, conservator or scientist. Paul Craddock has recently retired from the Department of Conservation, Documentation and Science at the British Museum, where he was a materials scientist.

From Anthony J. Allen, the author of four best-selling books on ancient Chinese bronzes, ancient Chinese ceramics, and two others on later Chinese porcelain, "Allen's Antique Chinese Porcelain *** The Detection of Fakes" is his most ambitious project yet. In plain language, he describes tricks of the trade learned over his long experience authenticating genuine antiques and detecting fakes. The minefield that antique Chinese porcelain can become for the uninitiated is described and illustrated in full colour detail with examples dating from the Ming dynasty circa 1500 AD to 2000 AD. There is also brief mention of some of the pottery and stoneware ceramics in this period. This book is aimed at the novice collector, dealer, or museum curator, who largely because of rapidly escalating prices and presence of fakes, is often too frightened to enter the fascinating field of antique Chinese porcelain. Both novice and experienced readers will learn from his authentication techniques, as he describes never before published features to look for, firstly to authenticate genuine antique porcelain, but also to rule out the bane of every collector; the fake made intentionally to deceive. Non-Chinese speaking readers are taught to read reign marks and to distinguish genuine marks from those apocryphal marks which have been added to a later piece. There is even a formula for converting Islamic dates to the Gregorian calendar. Allen's forthright style of writing may upset some of his peers, sections of academia, and the sellers of fakes, for which he has zero tolerance, as he leads readers through Imperial, domestic and export porcelain, then into the sub-branches including shipwrecks and shards recovered from the old kiln sites in Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China. Underglaze blue, famille rose and verte, monochromes, and pieces of various age, shape and decoration are illustrated, not just with a frontal view, but also of the undersides. Export wares, now the most common type of antique Chinese porcelain still available in the West, get special attention as he focuses on late Ming dynasty wares, underglaze blue, 18th century Chinese Imari, Batavian wares, armorial porcelain and famille rose of the 18th and 19th centuries. Faults, flaws, imperfections, foot rims, glazes, bubbles, are illustrated at length, including those features one expects to find, but also those that should not be present, notably on fakes.

Oriental rugs have become as much a necessity in our beautiful, artistic homes as are the paintings on the walls and the various other works of art. Their admirers are rapidly increasing, and with this increased interest there is naturally an increased demand for more reliable information regarding them. The aim of the present writer has been practical—no such systematized and tabulated information regarding each variety of rug in the market has previously been attempted. The particulars on identification by prominent characteristics and detail of weaving, the detailed chapter on design, illustrated throughout with text cuts, thus enabling the reader to identify the different varieties by their patterns; and the price per square foot at which each variety is held by retail dealers, are features new in rug literature. Instructions are also given for the selection, purchase, care and cleaning of rugs, as well as for the detection of fake antiques, aniline dyes, etc. In furtherance of this practical idea the illustrations are not of museum pieces and priceless specimens in the possession of wealthy collectors, but of fine and attractive examples which with knowledge and care can be bought in the open market to-day. These illustrations will therefore be found of the greatest practical value to modern purchasers. In the chapter on famous rugs some few specimens illustrative of notable pieces have been added. In brief, the author has hoped to provide within reasonable limits and at a reasonable price a volume from which purchasers of Oriental rugs can learn in a short time all that is necessary for their guidance, and from which dealers and connoisseurs can with the greatest ease of reference refresh their knowledge and determine points which may be in question.

The bible for pottery and porcelain collectibles, the third edition is all new from cover to cover. The only price guide of its kind, it features 300 photos, more than 200 categories and more than 10,000 price listings of today's hottest collectibles in the antiques marketplace.

ALLEN'S AUTHENTICATION OF LATER CHINESE PORCELAIN . . . continues on from the earlier "Allen's Introduction to Later Chinese Porcelain" in a more detailed examination of aspects of dating, and provides even the novice collector or dealer with information, dating techniques, and illustrations, which would otherwise take years to learn. The focus of the work is primarily on the dating of porcelain made between the beginning of the Jiaqing reign in 1796 AD, and ending in the penultimate year of the 20th Century, 1999. As many of the porcelains made in this 200-year period were copies of earlier periods, there are also a number of illustrations of genuine porcelain and pottery pieces made in the late Ming and earlier Qing dynasties; i.e. prior to 1796 AD. Progressing chronologically through the late Qing dynasty reigns of Jiaqing through Xuantong, this book then examines the porcelain of the Republic period (1912 to 1949), and then the Mao period of the People's Republic of China, before concluding with a preliminary look at the dating of Chinese redwares, and details of the author's visit to Jingdezhen in 1998. With over 480 full colour illustrations of not only the items, but of their backs and undersides, close-ups of marks, footrims, and glazes, this is undoubtedly the most detailed English language text yet on the dating of Chinese porcelain of this period. The author's often blunt and provocative commentary will undoubtedly offend some quarters of the Asian art world, but collectors for generations to come will thank him for his advice on detecting the bane of every collector's life: the Chinese porcelain fake, intentionally made to deceive.