Skip to content

Antique Restoration and Collectibles Repair

antique glassware repair

Glass, china, pottery, ceramics, porcelain repair

Antique restoration and collectibles repair is our passion. We restore glass figurines, statues, goblets, crystal and fine art glass chandeliers, blown glass creations, and other delicate collectibles.

For example, we service every type of fragile piece:

  • Blown glass artwork repair
  • Inherited crystal repair
  • Fine art restoration
  • Glassware repair
  • China repair
  • Porcelain repair
  • Ceramic Repair

…for every type of client:

  • gallery repairs
  • art dealers
  • movers
  • home cleaning services
  • shipping damage claims

Damages

Many of these items are functional art: crystal dinnerware, heirloom Christmas ornaments, fine china, etc. As a result, many glass objects are broken by mishandling during holidays. Conversely, careless packing and storing can lead to a variety of damage. Similarly, shipping is the second most common cause of damage – sometimes from sloppy shippers, but just as often poor packaging is at fault.

For example, goblets are chipped easily and narrow stems are broken.  Ornaments smashed or crushed.  Glass statuary has missing tips on decorative projections,  clear glass gets scratched.

Repair mistakes to avoid

Over the counter glass repair glues are just not sufficient to hold most breaks together for proper antique restoration and can lead to tragedy.  Specialty glass glues are expensive and difficult to work with.  We do a large volume of repair so we can bring those costs down to a reasonable level. Some chip damage to crystal can be polished out with special compounds rather than filling.

Importantly, different techniques can be applied, based on the conditions of the item. We can get your piece gleaming again.

Invisible repair, lasting restoration

There are two goals to the antiques and collectibles repair and restoration of fine art china and other delicate ceramic, porcelain, or glass fine art:

1)      the repair should be imperceptible, making the item look like new.

2)      The restoration should be durable, with mended seams and damaged areas as strong as they were originally. A weak repair will lead to another break in the same spots.

Project intake

When your glass work comes in we will go over the optional repairs. We will go over how you can use the item after restoration and proceed to a full photographic intake and cleaning.

Firstly, your ceramic restoration begins with a full photographic survey of the damage.  Then the object is cleaned thoroughly and dried.  If it has been repaired before old repairs are typically taken apart and redone as we find them to get in our way substandard work is too prevalent.  We assemble the work, do color and glaze-work then the piece is carefully inspected to ensure a quality repair.

It should be noted, most antique restoration work is completed within 2 to 3 weeks.

Furthermore, we do not recommend repairing fine art with over-the-counter quick dry or instant glues.  In most instances they will not mend the ceramic properly and can lead to damage.  Oftentimes we find DIY clients use harsh solvents to try cleaning a ceramic not knowing some decorations are hand-painted and they can come off and be lost forever.  Each ceramic, porcelain, bone china, stoneware, earthenware, low fire, pit fire, sun-baked, or clay, etc demand a different type of adhesive and can be permanently stained by using the wrong type.

The restoration

It is easy to over-color a beautiful antique ceramic, which we are careful to avoid.  We keep all repairs isolated to the area of the damage rather than recoloring everything to match the new work. The restoration process strives to look very original to the piece and preserve the beauty.

Without a doubt, maintaining water-clear repairs is the priority for most glassworks.  The filler material must maintain clarity for years but be strong enough to securely hold the work together.  This is very challenging, and amateurs do not often achieve the necessary precision and technique.

Glass and crystal because are known for their purity and visual clarity and when broken or damaged the client is just devastated.  Seeing an item brought back to original luster brings them happiness, and is utterly fulfilling.

Unquestionably, working with porcelain and ceramic is challenging to get the pieces fit back together properly without misalignment.  Getting it right produces a sense of accomplishment and when the assembly goes well then the finished work is sure to look amazing.

We repair all kinds of damage

Often the damage to a piece seems beyond the capabilities of antiques and collectibles repair, and in some cases it is. However, our expert techniques in antique restoration afford us the ability to do what others think unachievable. Where a restoration to the original condition is not possible, we endeavor for a creative approach to solving irreparable pieces in the traditional techniques. We will offer unconventional tactics such as tasteful, decorative alternatives such as additional fabricated supports.

Nevertheless, come to us for strong, crystal clear repairs that are sensitive to the demands of the artwork.

Austria

  • Vienna Porcelain Manufactory Augarten

China

  • Ding ware
  • Jingdezhen porcelain

Croatia

  • Inkerpor

Czech Republic

  • Český porcelán a.s., Dubí, Eichwelder Porzellan und Ofenfabriken Bloch & Co. Böhmen (Cesky porcelain as Dubi)
  • Haas & Czjzek, Horní Slavkov (Horni Slavkov)
  • Rudolf Kämpf, Nové Sedlo (Rudolf Kampf)
  • Thun 1794, Klášterec nad Ohří (Klasterec nad Ohri)

Denmark

  • Aluminia
  • Bing & Grøndahl (Bing & Grondahl)
  • Denmark porcelain
  • GreenGate
  • Kastrup Vaerk
  • Kronjyden
  • Ipsens Enke
  • Porcelænshaven (Porcelaenshaven)
  • Royal Copenhagen

Finland

  • Arabia

France

  • Chantilly porcelain
  • Haviland porcelain
  • Limoges porcelain
  • Mennecy-Villeroy porcelain
  • Revol porcelain
  • Saint-Cloud porcelain
  • Sèvres porcelain
  • Vincennes porcelain

Hungary

  • Hollóháza Porcelain Manufactory (Hollohaza Porcelain)
  • Herend Porcelain Manufacture
  • Zsolnay Porcelain Manufacture

Italy

  • Richard-Ginori 1735 Manifattura di Doccia
  • Capodimonte porcelain
  • Naples porcelain
  • Manifattura Italiana Porcellane Artistiche Fabris
  • Mangani SRL, Porcellane d'Arte

Japan

  • Hirado ware
  • Kakiemon
  • Nabeshima ware
  • Narumi
  • Noritake

Netherlands

  • Haagsche Plateelbakkerij, Rozenburg
  • Loodsrechts Porselein
  • Weesp Porselein

Norway

  • Egersund porcelain
  • Figgjo
  • Herrebøe porcelain
  • Porsgrund
  • Stavangerflint

Poland

  • Polskie Fabryki Porcelany “Ćmielów” i "Chodzież" S.A. (Cmielow i Chosdziez)
  • Kristoff Porcelana
  • Lubiana S.A.

Portugal

  • Vista Alegre
  • Sociedade Porcelanas de Alcobaça
  • Costa Verde

Russia

  • Imperial Porcelain Factory
  • Verbilki Porcelain
  • Gzhel ceramics
  • Dulevo Farfor

Spain

  • Buen Retiro Royal Porcelain Factory
  • Real Fábrica de Sargadelos (Real Fabrica)
  • Porvasal

Sweden

  • Rörstrand (Rorstrand)
  • Gustavsberg porcelain

Switzerland

  • Suisse Langenthal

South Korea

  • Haengnam Chinaware
  • Hankook Chinaware
  • Sri Lanka
  • Dankotuwa Porcelain
  • Noritake Lanka Porcelain
  • Royal Fernwood Porcelain

Taiwan

  • Franz Collection

Turkey

  • Yildiz Porselen
  • Kütahya Porselen (Kutahya Porselen)
  • Güral Porselen (Gural Porselen)
  • Porland Porselen
  • Istanbul Porselen
  • Sümerbank Porselen (Sumerbank Porselen)

United Kingdom

  • Aynsley China
  • Belleek
  • Bow porcelain factory
  • Caughley porcelain
  • Chelsea porcelain factory (Derby)
  • Coalport porcelain
  • Davenport
  • Goss crested china
  • Liverpool porcelain
  • Longton Hall porcelain
  • Lowestoft Porcelain Factory
  • Mintons Ltd (Royal Doulton)
  • Nantgarw Pottery
  • New Hall porcelain
  • Plymouth Porcelain
  • Rockingham Pottery
  • Royal Crown Derby
  • Royal Doulton
  • Royal Worcester
  • Spode
  • Saint James's Factory
  • Swansea porcelain
  • Vauxhall porcelain
  • Wedgwood (Fiskars)

United States

  • Blue Ridge
  • CoorsTek, Inc.
  • Franciscan
  • Lenox
  • Lotus Ware
  • Pickard China

 

Ready to find out more?

Call us now for a free consultation!

NEW Free Quote - Green



    Statue / Sculpture RestorationPainting RestorationChina / Glass RestorationPottery / Ceramics RestorationAntique RestorationOther...