The most dependable method for testing antiques is thermoluminescence (TL). The process, explains Doreen Stoneham, head of England's Oxford Authentication, the world's foremost TL lab, involves heating a small sample of powder from an object. A faint light signal emitted by the powder indicates the length of time since the piece was fired. Unfortunately, this is no longer sufficient to detect fakes. Counterfeiters can predict where on the objects the tests are likely to be done and inject radioactive material there, Wang says.
"There's no scientific test that is entirely accurate," acknowledges Pola Antebi, director of the Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art Department at Christie's in Hong Kong. She and her colleagues rely on their senses to sift out fakes. "We consider so many factors: the shape; the color of the glaze and whether it's consistent with the period in question; the glaze texture; the weight of the piece; and the mark [chop]," she says. "We look at Chinese ceramics all day, every day"—experience that, she maintains, gives experts the edge. "Forgers haven't had the privilege of handling authentic pieces. It takes years to get the sense of it."
Still, the phony goods creep through. "There are fantastic forgeries out there—that's no secret," says Murck, who spent 12 years at the Met. She says tremendous scrutiny surrounds every potential purchase. "We could spend months on a single piece. We'd test it and study its history."
One reason Chinese art is so susceptible to fraud, however, is that few pieces possess the kind of ownership trail common in the West. Sales in China are rarely recorded, the artists seldom attributed. Pieces are more commonly assigned to periods of craft, such as the various dynasties. Antebi describes extensive vetting procedures, including consultation with investigators who monitor the latest forgery methods. "We can't talk about the techniques for fear of tipping off forgers," she says. Nevertheless, she allows, "Nothing is foolproof."
Though the risks are high, even experts like Murck and Wang admit to spending weekends at Panjiayuan, dubbed Beijing's Junk Market for obvious reasons. Huge piles of newly minted "Qing dynasty" wares sit alongside Mao memorabilia. Yet there is always the hope of finding a precious Ming plate among the junk. Wang once bought a Qing snuff bottle here for $6,000. A month later, he sold it for $50,000. Wang says cheerfully, "You lose some, but sometimes you win."
HOW TO GET A 'MING' FOR A SONG
If the world's great art experts can't ferret out the fakes flooding the Chinese art market, what chance does a novice collector have?The best advice is to use common sense. "All the obvious rules apply," says Beijing dealer Dick Wang. "If you're offered a priceless Ming vase for a hundred dollars, it's a fake."
China offers no laws and little protection for consumers who are cheated. Even Hong Kong lacks the kind of associations common among dealers in the West, says Hong Kong gallery owner Karin Weber. As a result, it's safest to deal with reputable shops. "Ask around before you buy," she says; hotel concierges are a good source. Weber also suggests visiting many stores and getting a feel for the pieces. "Buyers should look through books, get educated about prices, and compare, compare, compare."
Weber runs a side business guiding art-buying trips just across the border from Hong Kong, where furniture can be half the price. "If you buy a couple of pieces, you make back what you spent to take the trip," she says. "People enjoy looking for themselves, but they still like the comfort of having someone experienced along." For information, contact Karin Weber Antiques (852/2544-5004, fax 852/2545-2348; antiques@pacific.net.hk).
