silver « Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair

Posts Tagged ‘silver’

Blue & white Chinese teapot, c.1790

Monday, April 19th, 2010

This Chinese export porcelain teapot with globular (aka bullet) form has a blue underglaze decoration and a simple looped handle.

Teapot measures 4-1/2″ high.

Nicely painted decoration of a man on horseback is featured on both sides of the teapot.

Not only has the spout been replaced with silver sometime in the early to mid 1800’s…

…but the lid now sports a nicely turned wood replacement knob.

The wood replacement knob is held in place with this early, hand forged bolt & nut.

This example shows what the original spout and knob may have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Collectibles Articles

Tags:blue & white, Chinese, metal spout, porcelain, silver, wood knob
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Wedgwood sugar bowl, c.1840

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

I am still researching this 3″ high by 5-1/2″ wide black basalt open sugar bowl with an incised WEDGWOOD mark on the bottom.

I purchased this piece of jasperware in London at the Covent Garden Market and was told by the dealer that the piece dates from 1753, though I feel it to be from a later date, and that the hallmarks on the (added?) sterling silver rim date to 1853.

Cracks in both handles are now supported by the addition of four silver bands riveted through to the inside of the bowl.

If anyone knows more about this piece, I would greatly appreciate any further information you may have.

Tags:English, pottery, silver, staples/rivets
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Kangxi teapot, c.1690

Friday, April 9th, 2010

This unusual fluted beehive form (aka bell form) porcelain teapot from China was made during the Kangxi reign (1662-1723). It is decorated with a flowering plant design in blue under glaze, has an upright fixed handle and is raised on three small feet.

The stylized floral decoration in vivid cobalt blue is on each of the six panels.

Teapot measures 6-1/2″ high and has eluded me ever since I purchased it 15 years ago at the New York Coliseum Antiques Show, as I could not find any research on it.

At the time, it was one of the most expensive “make-dos” I had purchased, and it was my first piece adorned with a silver repair.

The replaced silver spout is of modest design, but was made by a silversmith sometime in the 1700s-1800s, and at considerable cost to the owner.

I was thrilled to have recently found this photo showing a complete, nearly identical teapot, shown here with its original lid and spout. This one sold at Christie’s in 2008 for more than four times the estimated price.

Photo courtesy of Christie’s

Tags:blue & white, Chinese, metal spout, silver
Posted in teapot | No Comments »

Famille rose cream jug, c.1790

Friday, April 9th, 2010

My father gave me this Chinese porcelain baluster form sparrow beak cream jug for my 38th birthday.

It dates from the Qianlong period (1736-96) and measures 5″ high.

The sides are decorated with enamel floral decoration in the famille rose palette.

What really makes this piece exceptionable is the simply shaped, hallmarked sterling silver replacement handle.

I have not looked up these marks, but once I do I will be able to identify the maker and the year this handle was made. Until then, if anyone knows about these marks I would love to know.

This similar jug is missing its lid but still has its original handle, in the shape of a ruyi scepter.

Photo courtesy of Three Empires

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

Famille rose teapot painted “en camaïeu”, c.1750

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Globular shaped porcelain teapot from China has a subtle, “en camaïeu” (monochromatic) iron-red enamel floral design in the famille rose style.

The same nicely painted decoration is found on both sides of the teapot.

Teapot was made for export to North America and Europe and stands 5-1/4″ tall.

When the spout broke off sometime in the late 1700s to early 1800s, the teapot was taken to a silversmith for replacement. A family of great wealth must have originally owned this piece, as the silver repair indicates.

Another example of a Chinese porcelain teapot with its original spout intact.

Photo courtesy of Pater Gratia Oriental Art

Tags:Chinese, metal spout, porcelain, silver
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Chinese Yixing cream jug, c.1790

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Simple yet elegant Chinese barrel form jug dates from the late 1700’s, stands 3-1/4″ high.

The broken applied handle is held back in place with engraved silver cuff repairs.

A silver band with decorated scalloped edge is clipped on to mask the damaged rim.

Wire, rather than rivets, was used to secure the broken handle to the jug

There is a maker’s mark on the bottom. Apologies if I have not shown it right side up.

Tags:Chinese, pottery, silver, Yixing
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Silver mounted Namur teapot, c.1780

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

This black glazed earthenware baluster form teapot was made in Belgium and sports an Oriental inspired “crabstock” handle and swan’s neck shaped spout. It measures 6 inches high and 8 inches wide.

It has an elaborately detailed silver spout in the style of Austria-Hungary silver, attached by chain to handle and replaced silver pineapple-shaped lid knob.

This Namur coffee pot set has ornate silver mounts.

Photo courtesy of Sothebys

Tags:earthenware, metal spout, pottery, silver
Posted in teapot | No Comments »

Creamware pepper pot, c.1790

Friday, March 19th, 2010

This tiny Wedgwood pepper pot was made in England in the late 1700’s and stands a mere 2-1/2″ high.

The beautifully scalloped and beaded sterling silver rim masks unsightly chips to the base.

A faint WEDGWOOD mark can be seen on the bottom of the pot.

A perfect, larger pepper pot with an unblemished base.

Photo courtesy of Starr Antiques

Tags:creamware, English, silver
Posted in pepper/salt | No Comments »

Chinese Imari pattern teapot, c.1750

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

A Chinese porcelain globular form teapot with Japanese influenced Imari decoration, stands 4″ high. The bullet shape was inspired by European silver of the same period.

When the original porcelain handle broke off, the teapot was taken to a china mender and fitted with a bronze handle replacement. Finely woven rattan embellishes the metal handle as well as provides protection from the heat of a pot full of hot tea.