A Truth and Two Fakes (Part Two)

Tang Sancai camel figurines came in many different forms. For example, the Howling Sky Camel had its head raised in a posture resembling a howl toward the heavens. There were also Hu person riding camel figurines, Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon figurines, and so on.

In general, the more complex the form and the more "lifelike" it was, the higher the price. Complex designs inevitably increased the difficulty of sculpting, so such pieces were rarely seen on the market. Whenever one appeared, it commanded a much higher price than ordinary pottery.

Old Ma's piece was a Tang Sancai Hu person riding camel figurine. Its camel stood on a rectangular base, eyes wide and head raised as it brayed. Its humps towered above its back, with a large beast-faced saddlebag placed between them. A Hu person sat atop the saddlebag, though one of his arms had been broken off. The whole thing looked as if it had weathered countless years.

Parts of the camel had originally been painted red, black, and yellowish brown, but the colors had not been well preserved and had already flaked away.

The camel's expression and musculature were superb, while the Hu person's expression and movements had also been rendered very well. How could such a piece possibly be fake? That was what Old Ma and his son found so strange.

Chu Chen chuckled. "This piece isn't entirely wrong. You could say it's both real and fake."

"Both real and fake? Then what's real, and what's fake?" Old Ma and his son asked in unison.

Chu Chen pointed at the Hu person on the camel. "This Hu person figurine was made later. The camel is real."

"How is that possible?" Old Ma and his son said, dumbfounded.

Chu Chen said, "You can tell if you look carefully.