Hello,
I have found the following tomb figurine. The information I have found is:
Period: Tang dynasty (786-835)
Product Terra cotta clay
Item: Fat lady (red green black and white)
Height: 32cm width 12cm
Excavated in Chang An
Its almost impossible this item is genuine. I bought the book "Women of the Tang Dynasty (Genius of China Close-Up Guides)" to check
Please let me know whats your opinion. Can we only be sure with a thermoLuminesence test that this item is genuine?
Greetings Jan
Extra detail photos and bottom
Maybe someone else reading this knows more about this? I cannot help with Tang items as it requires a different knowledge. A large part of what is on the market seems to be fakes. Unfortunately, the crazing which apparently is common on Tang sancai cannot be checked as there is no glaze. I only know that these were mostly made of low-fired Kaolin clay. I wonder what the plaster-like material is?
A TL test costs $400 to 500 I hear. Is it worth that? The test can be defeated and is not reliable in my view. (See more about 'scientific authentication' in the site.)
Thanks for you remarques. Attached extra photos. The clay is red and the white color (plaster like white) is on top of it (white paint). I allready read your scientific authentication test and I have allready contacted the department at the University of Gent. I am waiting for their response. I hope some other visitors of the forum can also post their opinion. Greetings
If the clay is red, then the chance that it is genuine is low; not impossible but low. It should be kaolin based, which is white or whitish.