Characterization of blue and white porcelains using the Mn/Fe ratio from EDXRF, with particular reference to porcelains of the Xuande period (1426 to 1435 A.D.)

Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) was employed to measure the ratio between the intensities of Mn and Fe (or Mn/Fe ratio) of porcelains of the Xuande period (1403–1435 A.D.) of the Ming dynasty, Kangxi period (1662–1722 A.D.), Yongzheng period (1723–1735 A.D.) and Qianlong period (1736–1795 A.D.) of the Qing dynasty. The Mn/Fe ratio was found to be a good criterion for separating porcelains from these periods: those of the Xuande period had Mn/Fe<0.35 while those of the Qing dynasty had Mn/Fe>0.35. The Mn/Fe ratios also confirmed that most imperial-ware blue and white porcelains of the Xuande period employed imported Co materials and that imported Co materials had lower Mn and higher Fe contents when compared to the native ones. The Mn/Fe ratio can also be used as a criterion for identifying imitations and fakes of imperial-ware blue and white porcelains of the Xuande period.