wood base « Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair

Posts Tagged ‘wood base’

Glass perfume bottle, c.1895

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

This strange pressed glass square-shaped bottle with molded Greek key band design was found in Virginia and sports a rustic “make-do” base. It has a mismatched, ill-fitting glass stopper of a different color, replacing a more fanciful stopper, no doubt. I imagine it would have looked a bit out of place on a lady’s vanity or dresser among her other delicate bottles and toiletries

Bottle stands 4″ high and has a square over-scaled unfinished wood base, replacing the original glass base that broke off years ago

This canning jar has the same Greek key design and is marked on the bottom: “HC” over a triangle, “Safety Valve Patd May 21, 1895”

Photo courtesy of Ed & Lucy Faulkner

Tags:American, glass, wood base
Posted in household | No Comments »

American “make-do” at the MET, c.1791

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is home to many examples of antiques (and antiquities) with inventive repairs. Some are on display for the public to see and many more are buried away in their vast archive collection.

This blown and engraved glass presentation goblet is inscribed in script on the back: “New Bremen Glassmanufactory, 1791” and is inscribed on the base: “Presented to Thomas Mifflin, Governor of Pennsylvania”. It was made by John Frederick Amelung in New Bremen, Maryland and measures 10″ tall. This goblet can be seen in the American Wing in a showcase on the second level.

Photo courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tags:American, glass, wood base
Posted in glass/goblet | No Comments »

EAPG glass goblet, c.1880

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Early American Pattern Glass goblet, also known to collectors as EAPG, in the “Wide Band Baby Thumbprint” pattern. Goblet stands 5″ high and is made of non-flint glass

It was not uncommon for goblets, which were used daily, to snap off at the base. And when they did, they were repaired at home with a carved wooden base such as this one, or taken to a tinsmith for a more lasting replacement

This is what the base would have looked like before the goblet slipped out of the original owner’s hands and on to the floor

Photo courtesy of Brey Antiques

Tags:American, glass, wood base
Posted in glass/goblet | No Comments »

“Actress” glass jug, c.1879

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Early American Pattern Glass (EAPG) cream jug in the “Actress” pattern, featuring cameo portraits of Miss Neilson and Fanny Davenport, with their names indicated below each portrait. Pressed, non-flint glass creamer measures 6″ high. Made in Ohio by many glass companies including LaBelle Glass Co. in 1872 and Crystal Glass Co. in 1879. Adams & Co. of Pittsburgh, PA also produced this popular pattern starting in 1880.

Lillian Adelaide Neilson (March 3, 1848-August 15, 1880) was a pseudonym of Elizabeth Ann Brown. She was an English born Shakespearean actress, best known in America for performing the role of Juliet at New York City’s Booth Theatre in 1872.

Fanny Lily Gipsy Davenport (April 10, 1850-September 26, 1898) was born in London, England and brought to America when she was a child and educated in Boston. In 1862 at the age of twelve, she appeared in at New York City’s Niblo’s Garden as the King of Spain in Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady.

Replaced trapezoid-shaped wood base appears a bit clunky, but allows the jug to function once again.

This glass jug shows what the original base looked like before it snapped off.

Photo courtesy of Ruby Lane

Tags:American, glass, wood base
Posted in jug | 4 Comments »

Glass oil lamp, c.1870

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

This American pressed glass oil lamp with tri-mold marks measures 7-1/2″ high and has a classic gadrooned body design. It is not uncommon to find glass oil lamps with replacement bases, as these were handled often over the course of each day and accidents did happen. Please check out my other oil lamps to see replacement bases created in various styles and made from an array of materials

A wood replacement base with silver gilt surface was probably made in the 1920’s-30’s, as is evident from its “art deco” look

The oil lamp below with a similar shape still has its original glass base, a lucky survivor of over 100 years of use

Photo courtesy of Antique Mystique

Tags:American, glass, wood base
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Lard oil lamp, c.1820

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

This unusual early American lard oil lamp is made of tin and measures 14″ tall

A woven wick would have protruded from the tilted font at the right, keeping the wick immersed in oil

The original tin base would have been much shorter than this wood replacement, made from a later electric lamp

This lamp has its original base intact

Photo courtesy of Knotty Pine Antiques

Tags:American, wood base
Posted in lamp | 1 Comment »

“Master Argus” glass goblet, c.1840

Monday, April 12th, 2010

An EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) flint glass goblet in the “Master Argus” pattern, measures 7-1/2″ tall

What makes this replaced wood base so special is that is is made from lignum vitae, a trade wood known for its combination of strength, density and toughness. According to T.H. White’s “The Once and Future King”, Merlin’s magical staff was made of lignum vitae. Sadly, this type of wood is now listed as a potentially endangered species.

This goblet, also in the “Master Argus” pattern still has its original base

Photo courtesy of All Antique Glass

Tags:American, glass, wood base
Posted in glass/goblet | No Comments »

Early Delft vase, c.1680

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

I believe this Dutch or German Delft vase to be the earliest piece in my collection. It is made of tin-glazed earthenware and decorated with a blue & white Chinese motif, as were most European ceramic pieces dating from the 17th and 18th centuries

Time has not been kind to this very heavy vase, which stands 10-1/2″ tall, but it must have been cherished by its owners over the past 330 years or so. It has survived the loss of its original base and bears the battle scars of large chips and cracks, restored many years after it was first made

It now stands on a wobbly, cracked wooden base, painted blue and white to match the body of the vase. Unfortunately, the painted surface has become unstable, flaking each time the vase is touched

Tags:blue & white, Dutch, pottery, tin glaze, wood base
Posted in vase/vessel | No Comments »

Flint glass salt cellar, c.1860

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

An example of an EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) master salt cellar in the “Bull’s Eye” pattern, made of flint glass in the mid-late nineteenth century.

This small piece was made in America and measures 3″ high and is 3″ wide. It lost its original glass pedestal base most likely in the late 1800’s.

The salt can be passed around the table again, as a crafty person has fashioned a new replacement base from a simple piece of wood.

This is another example of a flint glass master salt cellar, showing its original pedestal base.

Photo courtesy of eBay

Tags:American, glass, wood base
Posted in bowl/dish | No Comments »

Meissen style trinket box, c.1890

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

I found this oddity in a gift shop in Provencetown, MA and thought it was so ugly I almost didn’t buy it. But the “beauty” of this repair is that the entire lower portion of the covered box that was lost, has been lovingly recreated out of wood.

The back view of the wine barrel-shaped box, which measures 7-3/4″ high and 6-1/2″ long, shows great skill and detail.

Matching the faux woodgrain on the porcelain top, a craftsman painted the replaced wooden bottom to look like porcelain, which had already been painted to look like wood!