Oil lamp with pyramid base, c.1920

October 14th, 2010

The person who repaired this 7″ tall EAPG (Early American Pattern Glass) oil lamp in the “Sawtooth” pattern threw caution to the wind and developed their own whimsical pyramid base, which bares no resemblance at all to the original glass base

This joint is where the lamp attaches to the painted base, showing “alligator” finish red line detailing

The overscaled base measures 7″ square

The remains of the heavily sawtoothed stem are visible from the underside of the base

This identical lamp, fully intact, reveals how much is actually missing from my lamp

Photo courtesy of iOffer

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“Beehive” pattern waste bowl, c.1820

October 6th, 2010

This English-made soft paste pottery waste bowl was originally part of a larger tea set. Waste bowls, aka slop bowls, were used for pouring out the remaining cold tea before pouring another cup of tea. It has a cobalt blue & white transfer decoration of a bee skep in a bucolic pastoral setting

The many cracks on the sides have been stabilized by the careful addition of small ridged metal staples, which appear to be machine made

A single bent metal staple affixed to the underside acts as a crutch and ingeniously supports the broken base

Bowl measures 2-1/2″ high with a dimeter of 4-1/8″

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Blown & cut glass goblet, c.1870

September 29th, 2010

A simple design of vertical panels and horizontal stripes graces this elegant hand blown cut glass goblet, which measures 5-1/2″ tall and has a diameter of 3-5/8″. I believe this to be an American example from the mid to late 1800’s

The tin “witch’s hat” base replaces the long gone original glass foot and stem. As goblets were used on a daily basis by most family members, many became broken and were repaired both at home and by itinerant menders. I have numerous glass goblets in my collection with replaced wood & metal bases in a variety of unusual forms. Please enter “glass goblet” in the SEARCH box to the right to see more examples

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Huge yellow ware jug, c.1870

September 21st, 2010

It is unusual to see a large and stout jug of this type, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to find one with such an impressive inventive repair. This American yellow ware mocha jug is decorated with a washed out blue slip seaweed pattern on a wide white band along side two narrow blue bands

I found this wonderful addition to my collection in Maine this summer, but the dealer I purchased it from originally found it in Pennsylvania

Jug measures 9-1/4″ high

Due to the sheer weight of this piece, a replaced tin handle was firmly attached to the body by means of an elaborate metal truss, encompassing the rim, spout and base

Another jug with similar form and decoration has its original applied handle and looks quite different without the metal armor of my jug

Photo courtesy of Antique Associates at West Townsend

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“Make-do” at the Met, part 2

September 15th, 2010

Over the summer I returned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to see what antiques with inventive repairs were hiding in plain sight. I discovered numerous examples scattered throughout the various collections, including these two teapots found among the Japanese porcelains.

“Teapot in the Shape of a Melon with Floral Design” Rim and hinge made by Thome, New York. Japan, Edo period (1615-1868), late 17th century. Porcelain with underglaze blue decoration and overglaze enamels (Arita ware, Kakiemon type); modern silver lid

“Lobed Teapot with Floral Design” Japan, Edo period (1615-1868), late 17th century. Porcelain with overglaze enamels (Arita ware, Ko Imari type); European replacement spout and handle

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Famille Rose decorated mug, c.1750

September 8th, 2010

This Chinese export porcelain cylindrical form mug is decorated in the Rose Mandarin style with polychrome underglazed enamels. It is painted using the Famille Rose palette and has stylized flowers and a domestic scene

Over the past 260 years or so, this ceramic survivor sustained a life of clumsy owners, resulting in many large chips along the rim and a broken handle

Mug stands 4-1/2″ tall

The once separated handle is now held tightly in place with the aid of two small metal rivets, repaired in the 1800’s by an itinerant mender

This Chinese ceramic mug with similar form has an intact handle and no chips

Photo courtesy of Artifact

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“John Bull” Staffordshire jug, c.1812

August 31st, 2010

A rare soft paste pottery jug with transfer decoration and overglaze polychrome washes featuring a Napoleonic  political cartoon. Made in Staffordshire, England and marked “T. Harley – Lane End”.

Thomas Harley (1778-1832) produced earthenware jugs and other wares in his Lane End (now Longton) studio from 1805-1812. In 1814 he was involved in a meeting which called for the abolition of the slave trade.

Jug measures 7-1/2″ high and is featured in AN ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BRITISH POTTERY AND PORCELAIN by Geoffrey A. Godden, Bonanza Books Inc., N.Y., 1966.

A now rusted metal handle with thumb rest, made by a metalsmith over 100 years ago, replaces the original damaged ceramic handle.

This rare example with intact handle shows what my jug looked like before a clumsy person dropped it.

 

Photo courtesy of Commemorative Ceramics

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Large glass apothecary jar, c.1880

August 24th, 2010

This American made pressed glass apothecary jar is one of the largest antiques with inventive repair I have in my collection. It sits proudly on my office conference table, garnering much interest and curiosity from my employees and clients. The many cracks in the glass bowl are held tight with 8 vertical metal reinforcement straps and a top, center and bottom horizontal band, made by a tinsmith in the early 1900’s

The simple globular form is so timeless it almost defies period

The rim is decorated with a molded ribbed pattern

The surface on the metal bands have oxidized nicely over the past 100 years

Jar measures 13″ high and is 9-1/2″ wide

The apothecary jar pictured below has its original lid and has no cracks. It appears to have been made by the same manufacturer as mine, as the bases on each are nearly identical

Photo courtesy of Collectibles Articles

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Blue & white chocolate pot, c.1750

August 17th, 2010

For me, the more repair I see on one piece of porcelain the more I like it, and this fine chocolate pot with five separate repairs does not disappoint! This baluster-shaped chocolate pot was made in China in the mid-1800’s but its form was based on German Meissen porcelain of the same period, and was made for export to Europe and North America

A skilled silversmith created a fanciful scallop edged silver spout to replace the more simple original spout, which must have broken off soon after this 8″ high pot was made

Other repairs and replacements which occurred during the next 170 years or so include metal rivets which hold the broken handle back in place; a 20th century plain white replacement lid decorated in blue enamel to match the original…

and a chain attached from the top of the handle to a replaced knob made of composition and painted blue

This chocolate pot with similar form shows what the original spout and lid on my pot would have looked like

Photo courtesy of Richard Gould Antiques

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Stoneware tavern mug, c.1850

August 9th, 2010

A much battered Doulton Lambeth style salt glazed stoneware tavern mug has barely survived many a bar room brawl over the past 160 years. It was made in England in the mid-1800’s and has an applied sprigged decoration of drinking and smoking men with a two-tone brown glaze

I am sure much beer has been consumed in this small mug, which measures 3-1/2″ high

This charming fellow is seated on a beer barrel, beside a clay pipe and his own stoneware tavern mug

When the handle broke off, a tinsmith fashioned a replacement handle and 2 support bands, allowing the drinker to resume consuming his beloved brew

The stoneware mug below, with similar form and glaze, still has its sturdy applied handle

Photo courtesy of Ruby Lane

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