Pottery and Porcelain Restoration: A Practical Guide

Pottery and Porcelain Restoration is a practical guide for amateurs to the craft of the professional restorer. With over 360 photographs, it explains the simplest, safest and ethical techniques that are recommended today and - essentially - do not further damage your pieces. Written with clear practical detail, it explains the full process and gives unique insight into the delicate job of the ceramic restorer. This new book introduces the history of pottery and porcelain, and gives an account of the methods and ethics of ceramic restoration; it gives a complete list and details of materials and equipment, and particularly advises on the best choice of glues; it describes the full restoration process, from preparation and cleaning to gluing and modelling, and finally to painting and gilding and provides step-by-step instructions for gluing multiple breaks, filling chips and large missing areas, as well as making lids, teapot spouts, hands, leaves, fingers and handles. Restoration examples are illustrated such as making Beswick horse legs, replacing missing handles on a Chinese jug and painting a Clarice Cliff jug and, finally, vital tricks of the trade are shared throughout and useful tips to setting up a workshop are given. AUTHOR: Roger Hawkins has been a full-time restorer for over thirty-five years. He regularly taught and ran courses, and worked on the BBC’s Restoration Roadshow. He was one of the first restorers to be accredited by the United Kingdom Institute of Conservation (UKIC), now called the Institute of Conservation (ICON).
363 colour images