Compositional Differences of Blue and White Porcelain Analyzed by External Beam PIXE

Abstract

The elemental contents of two blue and white vases with two holders in the shape of elephant ears (VASEs in brief) and twelve modern imitations of blue and white porcelain (IMITATIONs in brief) were determined by external beam PIXE. Significant differences in the contents of some trace elements, such as Zn and Pb, in the white glaze of the IMITATIONs and the VASEs were detected. It was suggested that this characteristic of the trace elemental contents could be used as a criterion for the judgment of different kinds of porcelain: the VASEs are not the same as the IMITATIONs. The ratios of MnO to Fe2O3 in the pigment covered by glaze of the VASEs and the excavated blue and white porcelain pieces produced in the Yuan dynasty are discussed in detail. The VASEs are different from the excavated porcelain manufactured either at the governmental kiln, Jingdezhen of Jiangxi province or at the civilian kiln of Yunnan province during the Yuan dynasty respectively. It is suggested that it was possible that a mixed pigment was used in the VASEs production procedure.