Data bank solves riddle in ceramic dating

NANCHANG — When Ton Letwory, a seasoned ancient ceramic collector from the Netherlands, acquired an intricately painted porcelain plate over a decade ago, he was told it was a piece from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

But something about its design — the swirling motifs, the brushwork — made him suspicious that it might be older. "The style reminded me of early to middle Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) porcelain," he said.

Determined to solve the mystery, he subjected the plate to multiple scientific tests in the Netherlands and Britain, including X-ray fluorescence and thermoluminescence analysis.