Friday, January 13, 2012

A Fantastic Thrifty Find!

For years and years, I have been looking for a bowl and pitcher set that's 'just right'.  Right proportions, right style (though I'm flexible on style) ... I knew I would know it was the right one when I saw it.  The right one came along last week while I was visiting Class and Trash (the BEST antique store on the planet!)



Isn't it gorgeous?

The creamy white background is perfect for the denim blue flowers ... they look like roses, but I think they're chrysanthemums!



The gold on the edge of the bowl and the pitcher is a little worn, but there were no chips that I could find.



According to the mark, this is a really good maker ... and the pieces date from between 1886 and 1936.

'Pretoria'  Dunn Bennett & Co.  Burslem  England


The price on the tag?  $24.50, as is.  This set should cost hundreds of dollars.  I had already looked at the edges and checked the bowl over thoroughly ... where is the 'as is' flaw?  I looked inside the pitcher, and I saw this:



I didn't notice it during my initial evaluation.  This appears to be quite a significant 'as is'.  Why didn't I see it on the outside?

This is why.



This has to be the most ingenious repair I have EVER seen.  Someone put masking tape over the gaping hole in the side of the pitcher and crudely painted the pattern onto the tape to hide the hole.  After finding this, I couldn't resist anymore ... my quest was over.  The repair made me love it even more, and I had finally found my bowl and pitcher set!

Now I just have to figure out where to put it.

10 comments:

  1. some times, we see only we want to see. :)

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  2. Well it is gorgeous to look at and the repair is quirky and makes this bowl and pitcher even more fun. Just don't put water in it@@@
    hugs, Linda

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  3. lol... have never seen a repair job quite like that one. Love the pitcher tho!

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  4. Pretty pitcher--funny you noticed the hole inside before the painted tape outside! What makes it special is the fact that someone loved it so much they took the time to find the right colors and carefully try to paint the tape to match it. Where is Glen Allen? I need to check "the best antique store on the planet" out!

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  5. LOL- Pretty smart "fixer". It looks good to me..even the bowl should be worth that price alone. xo Diana

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  6. I did a crazy repair on my sugar bowl lid and then used some crackle on it. It has held up for years!

    This is beautiful, even "as is".

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  7. So like you to buy/rescue the quirky repaired pitcher...I love it!

    Kat :)

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  8. So this the famous repair job you told me about...too funny!

    Masking tape...really???

    I love it, just for the repair job alone ;->

    Had a blast yesterday...thanks for bringing me along!

    Janet xox
    http:/theemptynest-janet.blogspot.com/

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  9. Oh. My. Goodness. I started drooling over these absolutely lovely pieces and someone repairs the pitcher with masking tape?!?! At least the really bad hodgepodge job of repairing can be hidden.
    Can I be in your will? ;D

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