This child’s pearlware pottery sauce boat with pedestal foot was made in England in the late 1700s. It has cobalt blue hand-decoration in the Pagoda with Fence (aka Chinese House) pattern and measures 2.5 inches high, 4.25 inches wide from handle to spout. The metal replacement handle and support straps were most likely added by a tinker, well over 150 years ago, to replace a broken handle.
It is not unusual to find children’s pieces with early repairs, as you can imagine how many tiny hands have dropped their prized pottery playthings. Actually, it’s amazing how many fragile ceramic toys have survived intact. I have dozens of examples of miniatures in my collection and I would be happy just collecting these small examples of inventive repairs.
This example suggests what the original handle on my miniature sauce boat might have looked like before the handle broke off.
I spotted this diminutive pear-shaped sparrow beak cream jug in an antiques shop in Dublin, Ireland in 2015. It is decorated with the Pagoda and Trees pattern, hand rendered in cobalt blue underglaze. A delicate lattice border embellishes the inside rim. Made in England by the Lowestoft factory around 1775-1785, the jug stands 3 inches high and has an incised number 4 on the underside.
After the original handle broke off over 200 years ago, a tinker made a metal replacement supported with horizontal and vertical straps, much like an iron girdle. Although the small but mighty jug is in poor condition, I felt compelled to rescue it and bring it back to America, where it now lives among friends with similar battle scars.
This jug with similar form and decoration shows what the original handle on mine might have looked like.
I purchased this ovoid Dutch Delft blue & white earthenware jug from a dealer last year because I loved the stylized decoration and the unusual inventive repair. It has a slightly flared neck, blue & white Chinoiserie decoration, and a scroll handle. Jug was made in Holland in the late 1600s.
The pewter lid with a patch to cover the missing spout is one I have not seen before. I assumed that liquids would not pour well from this damaged vessel, but was pleasantly surprised how well the water flowed. I guess that the tinker or whoever did the repair over 150 years ago knew what they were doing.
Here’s another jug with similar form and decoration, but without damage. I prefer mine over this “perfect” example.
Soup’s on! This blue & white transfer printed pearlware pottery ladle measures 12 inches long and has a 3.5 inch diameter bowl. It was most likely made in the Staffordshire region of England, around 1830.
Sadly, many ladles did not survive the years intact and this one is no exception. I only hope it did not snap in two while soup was being served. But luckily for the original owner (and me!), a clever tinker brought it back to life by adding 2 large rivets and wire around the break. As a true test to the tinker’s skill, the repair has remained secure 150+ years later.
Ladles such as mine were part of a set, including a covered soup tureen and under plate. This ladle appears to be “perfect”, but give it time.
Who doesn’t like blue and white ceramics? Not many, according to popular taste. Be it porcelain or pottery, Chinese or European, cobalt blue glaze on a white ground is arguably the most popular color combination throughout the world.
This tin-glazed earthenware pottery plate was made in Valencia, Spain in the mid to late 1800s. It measures 11.25 inches in diameter and is decorated with stylized flowers in teardrop shapes which form a ring. As lovely as the decoration is, I was drawn to the plate due to the 18 large double metal wire staples on the back holding the broken pieces together. After it was repaired, a rustic wire hanger was made so it could be displayed on the wall. With all the trouble the owner went through, this must have been a very special plate.
My plate would feel right at home among these similar examples at the Museu de Ceramica de Manises in Valencia, Spain.
This striking tin-glazed earthenware pottery plate was most likely made in Manises, Valencia, Spain in the late 1800s. It is boldly decorated with stylized trees, flowers and houses in cobalt blue glaze and measures 12.25 inches in diameter.
On the underside is the mark Fv V(?) as well as 7 HUGE metal wire staples, which were attached well over 100 years ago after the plate broke in half. Metal staples/rivets were used in many parts of the world to repair broken ceramics and glassware, ranging in size from less than 1/2 inch to over 3 inches long. Repairs done on tin glazed pottery from Spain, Italy and France typically have larger iron staples such as these.
My plate would feel right at home with this collection at the Museum of Ceramics in Manises, Spain.
My cousin-in-law Carol is a true artist with incredible taste. She is equally adept at painting, sculpture, sewing, and just about any other form of art or craft. Her homes have been decorated with a keen eye and filled with beautiful and quirky details. When she found out about my passion for antiques with inventive repairs, she started sending me wonderful examples for my collection.
This trio of mis-matched 18th century Chinese Canton porcelain arrived unannounced a few months ago. Each piece is decorated in the pagoda pattern in cobalt blue underglaze on a white ground. The small tureen measures 7 inches wide from handle to handle and is 5 inches high to the top of lid finial. The small plate, used here as an under tray, is 9.5 inches x 6.75 inches.
I wouldn’t be surprised of these “damaged” pieces were weeded out of a larger dinner service by a dealer who only wanted to keep the “perfect” pieces. The repairs here include 3 large double brass staples each on the tureen and lid, and 3 large white metal staples on the underside of the plate.
Thank you to whoever did me the favor of dividing up the set and leaving the more interesting stapled pieces for my collection. And thank you again Carol for your generosity and appreciation for the unusual and the quirky!
This Dutch shape stoneware jug with a moulded fox hunting scene was made in Staffordshire, England, perhaps by Chetham and Woolley. It dates from 1810 to 1830. The top portion is glazed in cobalt blue and the lower portion is unglazed. It measures 3.5 inches high and is unmarked. I particularly like the molded screws on the handle.
After the spout became badly chipped or broke off entirely, the jug was taken to a silversmith, who created a silver replacement spout. Though a bit squatter than the original most likely was, it is well made and more importantly, allowed the jug to function once again.
This jug of similar form shows what the original spout on my jug might have looked liked.
This porcelain tea canister is simply stunning. It was made in China during the Kangxi period (1662-1722) and is decorated with blue underglaze enamel depicting mountainous landscapes on both sides. The ends are painted with flowers among jagged rocks. It measures 4.75 inches high, 3 inches wide, 2 inches deep.
It is unusual to find tea canisters with their original lids so I am not surprised that this one has a metal replacement. Then again, if it had its original lid I would not have bought it! Having seen dozens of tea canisters with replacement lids made from various materials including silver, tin, and wood, I find this simple cylindrical bronze replacement the perfect topper.
This tea canister with similar form and decorations shows what the original lid might have looked like on mine.
This cylindrical form porcelain mug was made in China during the third quarter of the eighteenth century. It is decorated in the Nanking pattern with trees, birds, pagodas and boats, using cobalt blue underglaze enamel. It measures 4.75 inches high with a 3.5 inch opening.
It appears that this mug has a story to tell, as its original strap handle has gone astray and is now fitted with a rusty iron replacement. Perhaps a bar room brawl resulted in the loss, or someone dropped the mug while clearing the table, or during a wash-up. We may never know for sure how the deed was done but I am thankful the owner had the good sense to have a tinker replace the handle, rather than throw out the broken mug. Isn’t it remarkable that this chipped survivor from 250 years ago is still able to engaging us and stir our imaginations?
This mug with similar form and decoration shows what the original strap handle might have looked like.
Antiques with inventive repairs (also known as "make-do" repairs) are unique examples of necessity and thrift, made during a time before Krazy Glue was invented. Unlike today where we discard anything chipped or cracked, broken household items were repaired at home or taken to a metalsmith to be brought back to life, often with whimsical results. Once regarded merely as damaged goods by antiques dealers and collectors alike, antiques with inventive repairs are justly receiving the respect they deserve.
ABOUT ANDREW BASEMAN:
I am a film set decorator, author, and interior designer, with a passion for antiques and collecting. Please visit my website to see examples of my work:
