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Mary Rose's Introduction |
Porcelain restoration can be done at home; you do not require to know anything about art or have had any experience of painting with artists' oils or watercolours. It is a therapy or relaxation to sit down and repair china. |
This has opened a new world to people ranging from very young school leavers waiting for University to men and women after retirement; many students are over sixty. It helps stress: one of my students had a very difficult child to manage and this made a wonderful break.
I started in 1971 when I was an assistant matron in a large teaching hospital in Birmingham. My mother was getting old and demanding; I didn't take holidays or have free time to myself. Every weekend that I was off duty I drove a hundred miles to Liverpool to care for my mother. I was reading The Antiques Weekly magazine and saw advertised Ceramic Restoration Courses, so I wrote off and booked for September 1971.
I took one month's holiday altogether, staying in a hotel in Gorleston, Great Yarmouth and this completely changed my life style. There were three students: a retired professor from Cambridge, a farmer's wife who was getting away from the men folk, and me. |
When I returned to work, my mind was set on starting my own studio; it is so rewarding. Of course you must have a love of porcelain and a flair for matching colours. So now I will tell you about the Art of Ceramic Restoration through the ages.
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For many years people have appreciated the restoration of ceramics. Recently, with rising values of good porcelains, the role of the restorer has been highlighted.
Good 'pots' are worth salvaging. |
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The Manual |
 Chapters |
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Lesson 8
Lesson 9
Lesson 10 |
Setting the scene and Preparation
Joining Domestic Ceramics
Joining Ornamental Ceramics
Restoration and Production of Replacement Parts
Modelling of Replacement Parts part1
Modelling of Replacement Parts part2
Painting Restoration
Restoration of Gilding
Restoration of Miscellaneous Fabrics and Materials
Setting up a Ceramic Studio & Calculating costs |
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Note: Images in the manual
are monochrome or line illustrations. Images on this page are from the video's. |
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The following is a short extract from the printed manual.
The course is structured as "Distance Learning" in which the student is encouraged to send work at various stages to Mary Rose for appraisal and feedback.
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Lesson 6 (part of)
Replacing a missing Handle |
I always use a moulding material called Red Vinamold. It is a rubber substance of a rather nice texture.
You buy it in a block of lie kilo or 1 kilo at a time. Before preparation make sure that your room is well ventilated because it smells and gives off non-toxic fumes. You will need a heavy saucepan, not non-stick. I think aluminium types are good.
There is also an electric melting pot available in a good art shop. This is only necessary if you are going to use it frequently, otherwise the first method is satisfactory. I will give later details about the thermostatically controlled electric melting pot.
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In the meantime, chop up your Red Vinamold on a chopping board into 1 inch squares. It looks rather like the dog's dinner at this stage. Make sure that you cut up too much rather than too little. The saucepan should be over half full, and can be placed onto an electric plate on top of a stove or gas jet. |
I think one of those camping gas portable stoves is super. You can turn them off quickly and keep an eye on the flame regulator.
You must stir this rubber material all the time. Do not let it burn, but at the same time do not beat the spoon about and create air bubbles. It should be a slow, gentle movement.
When all the lumps have disappeared, the consistency is syrupy and the appearance resembles tomato soup. It is then ready for pouring. There is a Vinamold thermometer available but it is not really needed if you are careful. The temperature should be 150°C.
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In order to replace a missing handle on a cup, vase, jug or teapot, I must explain how to make a box mould. This is very time consuming but worth the trouble. You must have a good handle from which to copy, so always ask your customer to give you a cup with a handle together with the matching one without for replacement. Vases very often have one handle in situ and the other missing. I will explain later what to do when both handles are missing or when the handle of a jug is missing as these pose similar problems. But now, this is how to make a box to make a mould for replacing a handle.
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Take a large piece of warmed white Plasticine and roll it into a ball shape between the palms of your hands and then into a sausage shape. With a doll-size rolling pin or a small round jar, roll out the Plasticine into a long strap shape. With your dividers measure 1/~ inch space above the handle you are going to reproduce and all round either side of the handle. This is to get the width. |
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How to Make a Two-Pouring Mould
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The length must be measured from the inside of the cup on the handle side plus an additional 1/~ inch.
Draw the strap-shaped white Plasticine by following the cup handle round and finish by pressing the other end of the Plasticine onto the base of the cup. If it is too long, cut it off here and make sure that the Plasticine strap has no cracks or holes which would ruin your mould. When you are satisfied that this stage of your work is perfect, then proceed by taking another large piece of warmed Plasticine, roll it into a ball shape and, with a bigger rolling pin on a bread board, roll out a base. It has to be a round shape. Both the strap handle piece and the base piece must be 1/, inch thick. This is very important. |
You will need a boxwood modelling tool - I like a kidney shaped one that has a rat end. This helps to get the Plasticine pulled up into place. You will do this last bit best by putting the base piece of white Plasticine onto a 6 inch white tile, then placing your cup handle with a long strap of white Plasticine down onto its side. With the rat end of your modelling boxwood tool drag or pull up the edges of the round piece of Plasticine, pressing the two parts of the mould together. Make quite sure there are no leaks. Hold the mould up to the light and if you see any spaces where the daylight is showing through, correct this immediately. |
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The last stage is very important and must not be forgotten. Take a small piece of warmed white Plasticine, roll it into a ball shape in the palm of your hands and finally into a long sausage shape. Now, with a small round boxwood tool, place this along the seam on the inside of the mould, below the cup handle. It is difficult to do, but gives you an added seal to your mould. So check once again that you have no possible leakage. Your cup handle is sitting horizontally and level on a white tile. Place the whole mould onto a board or tray and put onto a banding wheel at a convenient height for you to fill. All this must be done before preparing your mould material. There is no need to use a mould releasing agent on your china. |
You must check that your Red Vinamold material is heated to a syrupy consistency. Then start to fill your mould very slowly. Pour it in a continuous flow into the corner of the mould, away from the china. Do not stop, go on until you have reached the level of halfway up the handle. Some cups have a gold line to give you a guide but, if this is missing, it is a good idea to put one in with a Stabillo pencil. |
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The mould we have made is a two-pouring mould, i.e. the mould is made in two halves. |
Having filled the mould to the halfway mark, you will need a metal tool to locate the join. I use a 2 inch nail about 1/, inch thick, that has had its point filed smooth. This is ideal for the job. Heat the end over a flame, e.g. camping gas stove, until red hot. Hold the nail between a pair of forceps so that you do not burn yourself. |
Wipe the red end with kitchen roll and start making key holes beside the cup handle. Make three or four holes in the centre. Slowly press the hot end down into the Vinamold, removing it more quickly so that you leave a nice clean hole behind. |
These key holes make it easier to locate the correct position when the mould has to be parted in the centre after the second half is complete. The second pouring is made after not less than 3 hours but more does not matter. |
I usually start first thing in the morning, then the second pouring can be done after lunchtime at 2 p.m. I fill the mould the next day with a suitable modelling material which will be described later. |
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Contact Mary Rose Wrangham |
Studio 304, 13 Gloucester View, Southsea, Hampshire PO5 4EB |
Telephone:(44) 023 92 829 863 |
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Mary Rose is able to undertake some commissions. |
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