Posts Tagged ‘tin glaze’

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

French faïence cider jug with metal handle & spout, c.1745

Sunday, April 11th, 2021

I bought this footed earthenware bulbous body jug at auction last year and although I didn’t know much about it, I knew it would be a great addition to my collection. Made from tin glazed redware pottery and decorated with flowers & scrollwork in white, blue, green, yellow, and rust glazes, it stands 8.75 inches high. I believe it was made in Rouen, France, c.1740-50.

Looks like this jug took a tumble quite a while ago. Rather than toss the jug out with the bathwater, it was brought to a handy metalsmith who fashioned an unusual metal spout/collar/ribbed handle combo. Although the appearance has been drastically altered by the metal addition, the jug is able to function again. I much prefer the look of this make-do jug over its “perfect” counterpart, but that’s just my opinion.

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

Photo courtesy of WorthPoint

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.

Delft floral plate, c.1700s

Sunday, October 11th, 2020

I found this colorful tin glazed earthenware pottery plate at a shop in Amsterdam about 6 years ago. It was made in the Netherlands in the 1700s and has stylized floral decoration in polychrome enamels of green, orange, and blue on a white ground. It measures 9 inches in diameter.

After the plate broke, well over 200 years ago, it was repaired most likely by an itinerant repairer. Holes were drilled on either side of the crack and multiple strands of thin brass wire were looped through the holes. The remaining spaces were filled with plaster or a binder of some sort. This is a variation on staple/rivet repairs in which holes are drilled part way through and small metal clamps are secured to the broken pieces. I have found many repairs like these predominantly in Northern France, Brussels, and the Netherlands.

Similar plate with similar crack is in the permanent collection at the Detroit Institute of Art.

Photo courtesy of the Detroit Institute of Arts

Spanish tin-glazed plate, c.1870

Sunday, August 16th, 2020

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.

Photo courtesy of Museu de Ceramica de Manises

French faience patriotique plate, c.1790

Sunday, February 19th, 2017

To commemorate the end of the French Revolution, post-revolutionaries planted trees to celebrate their freedom. This well-used earthenware faience patriotique plate with tin glaze was made in Nevers, France, in the late 1700s. It is made of red clay and decorated with polychrome enamels to emulate Chinese porcelain.  The Liberty Tree depicted here reflects the patriotism of the French.

The underside of this plate reveals even more history, as over a dozen rusted iron staples still hold the damaged plate together after it was shattered more than 200 years ago. Plaster was used to fill the gaps that were left surrounding the tiny holes. To me, the unintentional overall pattern made by the staples on the underside are just as interesting as the design made by the artist on the front of the plate.

 

Inventive repairs in Prague

Sunday, May 15th, 2016

I just returned from a trip to Prague where I was bowled over by the seemingly endless amount of stunning Art Nouveau architecture, paintings, and decorative arts. Naturally, I was on the lookout for ceramics and glassware with inventive repairs, and was delighted to actually stumble upon a few good examples.

The most interesting ones were hiding in plain sight within the Prague Castle walls at the Lobkowicz Palace, which houses the Princely Collections of paintings, instruments, original musical scores, and decorative arts.

Two pieces of early rare Italian maiolica have what appears to be unexceptional 19th century tinker repairs. One of the jugs has a clunky and poorly painted replacement spout. I am surprised that the repairs found on these pieces were not executed with more artistry and finesse.

Rather than write the captions for my photos, I have copied directly from the English translations found on the glass display cases:

“Examples of a large service from Savona in North Italy, late 17th century.”

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“Examples from an extensive service of maiolica, from the Pavia region of Lombardy, painted in polychrome with scenes of figures and ruined buildings in mountainous coastal landscapes, all within borders of detailed moulded and painted acanthus leaf, flowers and grotesques some with wheat husk edging: Italian, late 17th century.”

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Happy New Year 2015!

Wednesday, December 31st, 2014

Wishing you peace in the New Year!

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Spanish earthenware bowl, c.1790

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Tin glaze earthenware bowl made in the town of Puente del Arzobispo, near Talavera de la Reina, an important ceramic center in the Castilla – La Mancha province of Spain. Puenta became one of the most important centers for ceramic production, after being founded in the early 1200’s.

Nine 2″ long rustic iron staples repair the cracks in this bowl.

Green, yellow and brown tin under glaze decorate the bowl’s surface with an abstract design.

Bowl measures 11-1/4″ diam, 5″ high.

Large white bowl from Seville, c.1820

Monday, April 12th, 2010

This heavy pottery bowl with a white tin glaze has a subtle blue line gracing the rim. I found it in a small, packed antique shop in Seville, Spain during a recent vacation

The hand woven wire web holds the many cracks in the ceramic together, enabling the bowl to be functional again. The web effect reminds me of a turtle shell pattern and is similar to the repair on a Tuscan pottery jug I found in Italy

A triangular formation of unglazed bubbles on the inside show where the bowl was suspended on stilts during the firing. The bowl measures 6″ high and is 15-1/4″ in diameter.

I display the bowl on my dining table, along with a Spanish tin glazed wine jug I purchased from the same shop