Porcelain sculpture has long been a target for forgers due to its high value and collectible nature. Among the most infamous cases is the "Ming Dynasty Horse" scandal of 1980s Hong Kong, where dozens of supposedly ancient equestrian statues were sold to collectors before thermoluminescence dating revealed their modern origins.

Another remarkable forgery involved the "Qianlong Emperor's Vase," a supposedly lost imperial treasure that surfaced in 2010. While the craftsmanship appeared authentic, chemical analysis of the glaze components exposed inconsistencies with 18th-century materials.

Perhaps the most audacious was the "Tang Dynasty Dancing Lady" hoax, where a forger buried his creations for years to fake aging. Experts detected the deception through microscopic examination of the weathering patterns and modern tool marks beneath the surface.

These cases were typically exposed through a combination of scientific methods (like X-ray fluorescence and spectroscopy) and art historical detective work. Many modern forgeries fail to replicate the precise clay compositions, firing techniques, or artistic styles of their claimed periods. The arms race between forgers and authenticators continues to evolve with advancing technology, making porcelain authentication one of art history's most fascinating detective stories.