An ancient craft, pottery encompasses earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. But with forgeries of all types being continually cranked out, finding an authentic item involves an arduous search.
It is not uncommon for pieces to sell for high prices at auction. And while precious works can even bring in millions, the trouble is determining whether your discovery is truly old and valuable, or produced by a modern-day forger (or is simply the output of an amateur potter).
In this exclusive video clip, "Treasure Detectives" host Curtis Dowling addresses how to determine if a piece of pottery is genuine and a good investment.
According to Dowling, you can learn to do it yourself. Someone with knowledge of the craft is best prepared to examine an item for flaws and signs of forgery, he said, and you're better off taking a one-hour pottery class than studying for three months online.
This goes for other collectibles, whether books, manuscripts or furniture. "Whatever your subject, learn it inside out," Dowling said.
Considering that whole towns in China are devoted to turning out pottery forgeries, potential collectors have got their work cut out.
