X-ray fluorescence and ion beam analysis of iridescent Art Nouveau glass – authenticity and technology

Abstract EDXRF analysis with subsequent multivariate data analysis proves useful for the determination of the authenticity of iridescent glass artifacts. Thus, clusters of the glass groups investigated were formed which can be associated with the glass manufacturers. By means of ion beam analysis with the external proton beam the producing technology of iridescent glass objects of the Art Nouveau glass manufacturer Loetz/Austria with so-called Papillon pattern was characterised in a non-destructive way. Due to the simultaneous application of PIXE and RBS the glass structure including a sequence of glass layers covered with a SnO 2 -layer of approximately 50 nm thickness on the surface could be described.