Posts Tagged ‘globular’

Triple repair famille rose teapot, c.1770

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

I love a piece with more than one repair and this great example delivers three times over! A much loved and repaired Chinese porcelain globular teapot from the late eighteenth century has survived over 240 years, more or less intact.

A detail of the floral decoration, painted in polychrome enamels.

Teapot measure 9″ long by 6″ high and both sides are decorated with the same pattern, more or less.

A simple yet graceful bronze metal handle replaces the original.

A silver spout replaces the long gone spout, similar to the original in size and shape.

Even the lid, with a replaced tin inner flange, is from another piece altogether. I wouldn’t be surprised if each of these repairs occurred separately during the life of the teapot.

An armorial teapot with similar shape to mine reveals what the original handle & spout might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Richard Gould Antiques

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.

A silver rim was added to mask chips along the lid and a silver “safety” chain keeps the lid and the teapot together.

This teapot with similar form and decoration still sports its original handle.

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Photo courtesy of Moorabool Antiques

 

Eastern European teapot, c.1925

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

I am asked “What is your favorite antique with inventive repair?” often by friends and colleagues. So after years of vacillating, I am finally committing to giving an answer.

This little teapot…

I found this small globular teapot 5 years ago, and knew very little about it at the time. The dealer I purchased it from had no information regarding its origin or history, so it remains a bit of a mystery to me.

It is made of porcelain, measures 3-1/2″ high, 6-1/2″ wide and appears to be mass produced. The simple Art Deco inspired decoration of large and small navy blue dots help date the piece to the mid 1920’s -30’s. It reminds me of Czech pottery of the same period, so I am assuming it is from the same region.

No part of this poor teapot has escaped damage, making it by far the most altered piece in my collection.

There are 18 metal support staples, a replaced hand-hammered tin base, a large tin patch on one side, a mended chip on the lid grafted from another lid entirely, and a wire tether holding the lid in place.

The  numerous metal staples (aka rivets) appear to be machine made and are reinforced with cement.

The original owner must have really cherished their teapot and made a great effort in trying to make it whole again.

If anyone has further information regarding the origins of this piece, please let me know.

And if you ask me “What is your favorite antique with inventive repair?” a year from now, I reserve the right to respond differently!

Globular Chinese export teapot, c.1750

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

The original handle on this 3-3/4″ high porcelain “one cup” teapot was replaced by a simple iron one, bolted on and painted to match the famille rose floral decoration.

Look closely to see the large circular crack masked by a painted green garland. This is one of the first items I purchased for my collection and is the only example I have found with this type of repair

what the original handle & lid might have looked like

Photo courtesy of AntikWest