English « Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair

Posts Tagged ‘English’

Brass candle holder with wood base, c.1880

Saturday, March 18th, 2017

I wonder how many fires were started as a result of broken candle holders. I have come across many examples with unusual replacement bases, including metal funnels, coconut shells, and blocks of wood. This is not surprising, as candleholders were handled everyday by various household members in every room of the house.

This candle holder was made in England in the late 1800s. It stands 7.5 inches high. Most likely it was one of a pair that might have been separated from its “perfect” mate. After the original brass base became detached from the stem, an overscaled wood replacement was fashioned. This well made base, complete with beveled edges and cut-line detailing along the top, measures 5 x 5 inches and appears to be a homemade make-do.

What ever happened to the matching candle holder without repair, you may ask? The story of The Prince and the Pauper comes to mind, so I imagine it has spent the past 130+ years in a castle, polished within an inch of its life, sitting prominently on a large sideboard and hobnobbing with other “perfect” things.

This pair of candlesticks suggests what the original octagonal base on mine might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Selling Antiques

Tags:brass, English, wood base
Posted in candle holder | 1 Comment »

Toby figural pepper pot, c.1870

Sunday, March 5th, 2017

This 5 inch tall figural pepper pot (also known as a caster or muffineer) in the form of Sir Toby Philpott, wears a tricorn hat and grasps a tankard of ale in one hand and a tobacco pipe in the other. It was made in Staffordshire, England, in the late 1800s, of polychrome glazed pottery and is part of a four-piece caster (also known as a cruet or condiment) set, which includes a mustard, salt, and vinegar.

This Toby originally stood on a round plinth base, which he jumped off of (or fell, or was pushed) at least 100 years ago. In its place is a nicely crafted silver replacement base, lending an air of elegance to this robust fellow.

This chap stands on his original base, although the crack at the bottom leads me to believe that he might be heading to the silversmith soon to be fitted for his own silver replacement base.

Photo courtesy of The Antique Shop

Tags:English, metal base, pottery, silver, Staffordshire
Posted in pepper/salt | No Comments »

Minton Bute shape cup, c.1810

Sunday, December 4th, 2016

This bone china Bute shape tea cup is decorated with two-tone blue flowers, puce tendrils, gilt foliage and bands. Measuring 2.25 inches high with an opening of 3.25 inches, it was made by Minton in Stoke-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, England, in the early 1800s. The Minton mark and pattern number 76 is handwritten in blue on the underside.

When this delicate cup slipped from the hands of a previous owner, unusual symmetrical breaks resulted. It was most likely reassembled by an itinerant china mender in the 1800s who used nine brass staples to put the four porcelain puzzle pieces back in place. The integration of the staples, along with the existing floral motif, create an unexpected and exciting new pattern.

This tea cup with matching saucer is shown without staples.

Photo courtesy of WorthPoint

Tags:English, porcelain, staples/rivets
Posted in cup/saucer | 5 Comments »

Canary yellow jug, c.1825

Sunday, October 9th, 2016

This one’s a mystery. A few years back, I purchased this small, canary yellow, footed pottery jug with brown floral decoration from a dealer in the UK. I was thrilled to add it to my collection, as I had not seen another piece quite like it. But therein lies the conundrum. It’s such an unusual piece that I can’t find any information about it. After showing it to a few experts in the field, it has been determined that it was most likely made in North East England around 1820 to 1830.

The jug stands 4.75 inches high and has a sturdy metal tinker’s replacement handle added in the 19th century. If anyone has further information about this jug or has seen other examples with similar decoration, please let me know. I am eager to mark this investigation “case closed!”

Tags:English, metal handle, pottery
Posted in jug | 3 Comments »

Large jug with woven handle, c.1820

Sunday, September 25th, 2016

Early in my collecting days I purchased a small pottery cream jug with blue & white transfer decoration and a wonderful wicker replacement handle. I had not seen a repair quite like it before, woven, I believe, by a basket maker. Flash forward about 20 years when I was notified by one of my favorite dealers in the UK who offered me another jug with a similar woven handle. The photo he sent did not show the scale, so I had no idea what size the jug was. When an oversized parcel arrived a couple of weeks later, I unpacked what turned out to be a HUGE jug.

This Dutch shape pottery jug with blue and white transfer decoration and woven rattan replacement handle was made in England in the first quarter of the 1800s. Measuring 9.25 inches high and 12.5 inches wide from lip to handle, it is marked “Lasso” on the underside. It must have been much loved over the past 200 years, as is evident by the unusual replacement handle and large hole worn away on the bottom. Although unable to hold liquids today, this impressive jug and ultimate survivor still commands respect merely by sitting quietly on a shelf in my home.

This jug with similar form and decoration shows what the original handle on my jug may have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Applecross Antiques

Tags:blue & white, English, pottery, rattan, transferware
Posted in jug | 1 Comment »

Davenport Hydra jug, c.1810

Saturday, September 10th, 2016

This octagonal shaped jug with a snake form handle was made in Staffordshire, England, in the early 1800s. It is decorated with a cobalt blue geometric border, chrysanthemums, and leaves, with red and green overpainting and gilt highlights. On the underside is the stamp “DAVENPORT STONE CHINA,” which dates this jug to 1805-1820. It stands 7 inches high and is 6.5 inches wide from lip to handle.

It appears that well over 100 years ago this jug had a great fall, but unlike Humpty Dumpty, it WAS put back together again. A “china mender” used 27 metal staples to secure the cracks, adding an unintentional secondary pattern to the already busy design. For extra precaution, red wax was applied to the cracks on the inside, as a deterrent against possible leakage.

Tags:English, Imari, pottery, staples/rivets
Posted in jug | 1 Comment »

The Slaughter Feast jug, c.1795

Saturday, August 13th, 2016

This pearlware pottery Prattware jug was most likely made in Staffordshire, England, between 1790 and 1800. It has molded polychrome relief decoration, with The Slaughter Feast, attributed to Ralph Wood, on one side of the jug and An Offering of Peace, designed by Lady Templetown and modeled by William Hackwood, on the other side. It measures 6.25 inches high.

It looks as though over 200 years ago someone took the image of The Slaughter Feast a bit too literally and broke off the handle. Luckily for the owner, a tinsmith was able to create a simple metal replacement handle so that the jug was able to function again. But as luck would have it, a brawl began after the first repair was completed, resulting in a damaged spout. Although the pressure is intense, I promise that as long as I am the keeper of this jug I will do my best to insure no further damage befalls it.

This intact jug shows what the original handle on mine would have looked like before it took a tumble.

Photo taken from the book Pratt Ware 1780-1840 by John and Griselda Lewis.

Tags:English, metal handle, pearlware, pottery, prattware
Posted in jug | No Comments »

Low Chelsea ewer with Gorham silver handle, c.1785

Sunday, July 24th, 2016

This porcelain Low Chelsea ewer shape cream jug with spiral molding was made by New Hall in London, c.1785. The floral spray decoration is hand painted in polychrome enamels. It measures 2.5 inches high and 4.75 inches from lip to handle.

A lovely jug indeed, but what I find so special is the rare replacement handle, which was added about 100 years after the jug was made. Perhaps a descendant of the original owner, who must have been quite well off and engaged the services of John Gorham of Providence, Rhode Island, to fashion a custom sterling silver replacement handle. I own and treasure just a handful of hallmarked silver repairs, but this is the first piece I have encountered with an American hallmark, which pinpoints the repair to 1880.

Here’s an example with similar form showing what the original handle on mine might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

Tags:English, metal handle, porcelain, silver
Posted in jug | 1 Comment »

Small black teapot, c.1830

Sunday, July 17th, 2016

This small earthenware one-cup teapot has an “Egyptian black” or “shining black” salt glazed finish with low relief floral design. It was made in England between 1820 and 1840 and measures 3.50 inches high and 6.5 inches from handle to spout. Due to its small size it is also known as a Bachelor’s teapot. Some collectors and dealers believe that these are part of a child’s tea set but they are actually fully functioning teapots.

It is not uncommon for teapots to lose their lids and that’s just what happened here. But this one didn’t remain unlidded for long, as a tinker, most likely in the late 1800s, made a well crafted replacement from tin, adding a mass produced pewter knob to complete the job. The new lid has developed a rich, warm patina over the past 100+ years, blending in nicely with the mellow tones of the dark teapot.

This teapot with its original cover intact suggests what the lid on mine might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of eBay

Tags:English, metal lid, pewter, pottery
Posted in teapot | No Comments »

Sprigged stoneware jug, c.1840

Sunday, June 26th, 2016

This small sprigged baluster form stoneware jug is decorated with applied vines of grapes around the middle and impressed leaves along the rim. A wash of brown glaze covers the top half of the jug. It was made in England in the mid 1800s, most likely in Bristol or Chesterfield, and measures 3.25 inches high and 4.5 inches from handle to spout.

Sometime in the late 1800s to early 1900s, the handle became detached. Luckily, the owner found a proficient tinsmith who fashioned a sturdy metal replacement with crimped detailing and horizontal support straps.

This jug with similar form and glaze shows what the original handle on mine might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Tags:English, metal handle, pottery, stoneware
Posted in jug | No Comments »

Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair

Posts Tagged ‘English’

Brass candle holder with wood base, c.1880

Toby figural pepper pot, c.1870

Minton Bute shape cup, c.1810

Canary yellow jug, c.1825

Large jug with woven handle, c.1820

Davenport Hydra jug, c.1810

The Slaughter Feast jug, c.1795

Low Chelsea ewer with Gorham silver handle, c.1785

Small black teapot, c.1830

Sprigged stoneware jug, c.1840

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