I am a sucker for a double “make-do” and this one delivers a one-two punch! This thick-walled porcelain teapot was made in China during the Yongzheng period (1722-1735) and boasts an unusual square-paneled, bombe form. It is delicately decorated with a blue floral motif and measures 5″ high by 7″ wide from spout to handle. At some point in its early life it was regrettably dropped, breaking the spout and rendering it unusable. Luckily a silversmith was able to fashion a finely made replacement spout and once again the tea flowed. That is until many years later when the lid dropped. This time a tinsmith created a new metal replacement, incorporating a small turned-wood knob as a stand-in finial. The replacement lid is much cruder than the new spout and I believe about a century separates the two repairs. Although I pity the people who let the teapot and lid slip from their grasps, I am glad the owners had the good sense to remedy their unfortunate situations and repair both pieces in such an interesting fashion.
Tags: blue & white, Chinese, metal lid, metal spout, porcelain
So loved way back when to make it do … now, many, many, many hundreds of years later we are all loving to look at it in your blog. It is a very proud little tea pot! Thank you for giving it a very special place in your collection and sharing it with all of us.
This is GRAND! Two fixes…love the pot and the repairs.
‘sigh’ very sweet.
When I encounter a repair and ponder what had occurred to cause breakage I try to imagine some justifiable scenario like; say, a fire. and the teapot was so loved it was the first thing snatched before escaping the flames. In the haste the spout was snapped clean against the door post. Then later the lid was actually thrown at a cheating lover which hit its target and shattered. All justifiable.
Now this is class recycling!Down through descendants too.
Joy’s reply reminds me of Edith Wharton’s, “Ethan Frome”
where the breaking/repair of the dish seemed to be pivotal in the demise
of the lovers
Now that’s a survivor and I wish it could talk.