Mossbauer basically works by measuring the state oxidisation state of
iron oxides (Fe2+ or Fe3+) present in the ceramic.

The chemical analysis work has been done for some English Porcelains by
researchers at the British Museum Research laboratory and elsewhere,
using a mixture of SEM-EDX analysis of body and glaze composition,
petrology and XRD to identify mineral. (An initial study was Tite, M.S.
and Bimson,  M. 1991. ‘A technological Study of English porcelains’.
Archaeometry 33.1  3-27; there has been some further work by others
including Ian Freestone since but I do not have the references to hand.)

        I am currently doing similar work trying to identify the source of a
late 18th century piece in which barium sulphate have been added to the
body as well as bone ash. Does anybody know of any manufacturer other
than Wedgewood that used this addition?

Chris Pickerell wrote:

> Ned,
>
> I do in fact have wasters from two sites (Huntington and Greenport) on Long
> Island and hope to find wasters from the third site (Sag Harbor) once I
> actually locate the parcel.
>
> I read a recent issue of "Ceramics in America" and I have considered trying
> to compare the chemical composition of the paste from wasters to pieces in
> local collections using mossbauer spectroscopy, but just a couple days ago a
> physicist sent me the following message: "Mossbauer spectroscopy gives you
> excellent information about firing temperatures and conditions (oxidizing,
> reducing...) but is almost useless for provenance assignment. For this you
> want something that generates a lot of characteristic data (chemical element
> analyses for example) that can be fed into multivariate statistical
> algorithms."
>
> I have yet to follow up on this as during this time of year most of my time
> is spent under water.  Gotta go the boat is loaded and ready to go.
>
> Thank you for your thoughts on this.
>
> Chris Pickerell

--
Chris Salter,
Oxford Materials Characterisation Service,
Oxford University Begbroke Science Park,
Sandy Lane, Yarnton, Oxford, OX5 1PF
Tel 01865 283722, EPMA 283741, Mobile 07776031608