Posts Tagged ‘pottery’

German faience pewter mounted jug, c.1790

Sunday, January 8th, 2023

This baluster form earthenware faience covered jug with a pewter lid was made in Germany at the end of the 18th century. It has tin glaze floral decoration with blue, pink, and green enamels over a white ground and measures 8.25 inches high. 

Well over 150 years ago, the jug must have dropped, resulting in a broken handle and a large missing chunk along the rim. Luckily for me and all others who like early repairs, the broken vessel was brought to a metalsmith who created a stunted but functional pewter replacement handle, along with a lead patch to fill in the chip. Although most pieces like this are unsigned, the number 80 is written in pencil on the underside, as well as an incised scribble I can’t decipher.

This jug with similar form suggests what the original loop handle on my jug would have looked like.

Photo courtesy of eBay

Black salt glazed teapot with metal handle, c.1830

Sunday, November 13th, 2022

This black basalt (aka Egyptian black or shining black ) stoneware low form collared teapot was make in England in the early 1800s. It has elegant engine turned banding decoration and measures 3.5 inches high, 9.5 inches from handle to spout.

Early in its life, the original handle broke off and was replaced with a metal “tinker” replacement. I like how it has taken on a dark patina over the past 150+ years, nearly matching the dark glaze of the teapot. The lid also took a tumble at a later time and was glued back together, suggesting that the break/repair was done more recently. I wish staples/rivets were used to repair it but that’s a bit selfish of me, I know.

This teapot with similar form and decoration suggests what the original handle on my teapot might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Ebay

Tiny cream jug with EHFDR handle, c.1830

Sunday, July 24th, 2022

This minuscule pearlware pottery Dutch shape cream jug was made in the UK in the first half of the 1800s. It is hand decorated with brown sprigs on a tan ground and stands just 2 inches high. Due to its small size, I believe it to be part of a child’s tea set.

Many years ago, I imagine an eager child poured the pretend cream too aggressively, resulting in a broken handle. Amazingly the broken jug wasn’t discarded, and instead was resurrected nearly 100 years later, thanks to snapping on an Emergency Handle for Domestic Receptacles (EHFDR.) I have more of these nifty do-it-yourself replacement handles, patented in the early 1920s, in my collection and have long admired this unique, though not quite successful, invention: Copper & pink luster child’s mug, c.1820, Mini Sunderland jug with EHFDR, c.1850. I am excited to report that Emergency Handle for Domestic Receptacles, c.1922 was acquired by the V&A and is now in their permanent ceramics collection.

This large jug with similar form suggests what the original handle on my tiny jug might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Rose Mandarin mosaic bowl, c.1900

Sunday, July 10th, 2022

In some cases, broken ceramics were beyond preservation or repair. But thanks to our thrifty ancestors, fragments of shattered plates were sometimes formed into mosaic and memory ware pieces, such as this Rose Medallion display bowl. Although this is more of a mosaic, true memory ware pieces are made from everyday household objects, including ceramic shards, glass and mirror fragments, buttons, beads, jewelry, shells, pipes, and doll parts. One of my favorite memory ware vessels is covered in unusual items such as glass doll eyes, a tiny glass jar, and a working thermometer!

This colorful example of recycling was made from broken Chinese and English porcelain and pottery shards attached to a shallow brass bowl. It measures 13 inches in diameter, 3 inches high. The overall effect suggests a plate with large figures in the center surrounded by a darker floral border. But look closely and you will find a variety of fragments featuring flowers, insects, and even a maker’s mark.

This whimsical contemporary jug was made by Lisa Rauter using antique ceramic shards and other found items.

Photo courtesy of flickr

Child’s pearlware sauce boat, c.1790

Sunday, June 19th, 2022

It’s been a busy spring but I’m back!

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.

Photo courtesy of The Hoarde

Mocha ware pepper pot, c.1820

Sunday, April 24th, 2022

This baluster form redware pottery pepper pot was made in Britain during the first quarter of the 19th century. It is decorated in brown, pale blue, and cream glazes and features a tree (aka dendritic) pattern on the body and dome. Intricate inslip-inlaid checkered rouletting in black and cream decorates the top rim. Pepper pot stands 5.25 inches high.

After the original base broke off – I imagine sometime between the middle 1800s and the middle 1900s – this nicely proportioned turned wood replacement base was added. The warm color of the polished brown wood blends nicely with the natural redware glaze, making this distinctive repair unnoticeable at first glance.

This pepper pot, with similar form and decoration, shows what the original base on my pot might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Skinner

Jug with transfer decoration and unusual metal handle, c.1880

Sunday, May 9th, 2021

This sturdy transferware jug was made by Cork, Edge & Malkin of Burslem, England, as part of the Italy series. The red transfer design was registered on September 29, 1879. Jug stands 5.5 inches high and is stamped on the underside: “TRADE MARK, E.M & CO. B, ITALY.”

Although the durable earthenware seems likely to have withstood much wear and tear, somehow the handle became detached well over 100 years ago. To bring the jug back to life, a tinker created an unusual replacement handle using crimped tin and wire. By carefully attaching bands at the top and bottom, the handle was secured without drilling through the body, which might have resulted in further damage. Much thanks to the anonymous tinker who made this otherwise innocuous jug unique.

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

Photo courtesy of Replacements, Ltd.

Blue mocha ware mug, c.1840

Saturday, March 6th, 2021

This cylindrical form mug was made in England around 1840. It is decorated with a blue field and thin dark brown bands on a cream ground. “IMPERIAL QUART” is printed in black transfer on the front. Mug measures 6 inches high with a diameter of 4.5 inches.

I’d like to imagine that the mug lost its handle as it was flung across the room during a heated bar brawl. Luckily, a clever tinsmith fashioned a replacement handle and attached it to the mug using 3 horizontal bands. I guess that after the mug was repaired it was involved in another bar brawl, as the bottom band is now missing.

This mocha mug with a similar form and from the same time period maintains its original handle.

Photo courtesy of 1stDibs

Large blue & white transfer printed ladle, c.1830

Sunday, February 7th, 2021

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.

Photo courtesy of Transferware Collectors Club

French faience bowl, c.1800

Sunday, January 31st, 2021

This shallow French faience pottery bowl was given to me a few years ago by my friend Marianne, who found it in Belgium. It measures 9.25 inches in diameter and was made in North France in the late 1700s to early 1800s. It is made of red clay with tin glaze and floral decoration in blue, green and orange enamels.

Soon after the plate broke in half it was repaired most likely by an itinerant repairer, using 3 large metal staples, each 3/4 inches long. Although metal staple (aka rivet) repairs were done throughout the world, this type of long heavy staple was predominantly used in France, Italy and in other nearby European countries.