March « 2021 « Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair

Archive for March, 2021

Kintsugi: The Poetic Mend

Sunday, March 21st, 2021

Kintsugi: The Poetic Mend by Bonnie Kemske has just been published and I am sure that anyone who enjoys my blog will enjoy reading this well written and informative book. It’s beautifully printed, with extensive colorful photos and historical information. There is even a section showing the step-by-step kintsugi process, which is fascinating.

I am pleased to have a ceramic plate with my own kintsugi repair featured in the first chapter, Cracks Made Whole In a Golden Repair.

Click on this link to see more photos and information of the plate: Kintsugi repair, at last!

…as well as another plate that I repaired: Family platter with kintsugi gold repair

Tags:kintsugi
Posted in anecdotal | 1 Comment »

Tiny cut glass cordial with metal base, c.1820

Sunday, March 14th, 2021

I’m a big fan of early repairs which drastically change the overall appearance of the piece. This tiny cut glass cordial, nearly 4.5 inches high, had a matching glass base which must have broken off over 150 years ago. Since there was no way to effectively repair the detached glass base, a tinker had to create a metal replacement. I assume the owner who had the repair done was thrilled to have a functioning cordial again, even though it must have stuck out like a sore thumb among the other “perfect” ones in the set.

Perhaps the original base on my cordial glass was faceted like this example. We will never know.

Photo courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass

Tags:glass, metal base
Posted in glass/goblet | 2 Comments »

Blue mocha ware mug, c.1840

Saturday, March 6th, 2021

This cylindrical form mug was made in England around 1840. It is decorated with a blue field and thin dark brown bands on a cream ground. “IMPERIAL QUART” is printed in black transfer on the front. Mug measures 6 inches high with a diameter of 4.5 inches.

I’d like to imagine that the mug lost its handle as it was flung across the room during a heated bar brawl. Luckily, a clever tinsmith fashioned a replacement handle and attached it to the mug using 3 horizontal bands. I guess that after the mug was repaired it was involved in another bar brawl, as the bottom band is now missing.