May 18, 2011
How to tell if it's old Asian ceramics
One trick that I constantly use for testing Asian ceramics is by rubbing the unglazed base. This would work for non-porcelain ceramics.
Just use your right thumb and rub the unglazed (exposed) surface of the base rim for several times. Once you feel the heat, immediately take a quick sniff of your thumb. If you smell a very "sharp" pottery scent, you can be sure the ceramic is not an old piece. (Oh, when I say old piece, I mean 100+ years old).