Making Head Vase Repairs

Information on professional restoration, do it your own restoration and auction services.

Section A sources of Professional repairs - Section B do it yourself repairs - Section C Auction service

SECTION A PROFESSIONAL RESTORATION

Shoup, Luanne Nichols specializing in Betty Lou Nichols but repairs anything else made from ceramic or porcelain. (714) 960-9871 or E-mail at shoupsters@juno.com

Pictured above is Luanne Nichols Shoup. Professional Repairs for Betty Lou's. Ceramic and Porcelain restorations by Betty Lou Nichols Daughter. Luanne does Headvases, Figureines, Hawaiian, Inarco, Napco, Kay Finch, Florence Ceramics and more.

Above is an example of the extensive restorations that Luanne has done.

An example of how a BLN head was sent in after being poorly glued together and an after restoration picture

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Keefer, Jim Head vase repairs including chips, hairline cracks and missing parts. (816) 229-2745 or contact via E-mail at gimmi-a-break@webtv.net Jim is another source for professional restoration. Jim can repair most any kind of break or chip and can also remake missing pieces.

Jim shown with large Lucy head at the Annual Head Vase convention

In this example a hand was broken off, repaired and re attached.

In this example the paint was coming off and looked bad. Jim magically brought this head back to life.

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Dorian, Mark Head vase restorer. cracks, missing fingers, etc. restored to original condition. (559) 225-2261 or contact via E-mail at m.dorian@att.net Mark is a third source for professional restoration. Sorry but I don't have any example pictures of Marks work but I am told he is also does excellent work.

SECTION B DO IT YOURSELF REPAIRS

The following information is included in our huge Head Vases Identification and Value Guide 384 page book from Collector Books. See page 373-376 which includes additional information such as cleaning, and how to remove crazing.

Making Head Vase Repairs

IMPORTANT: This information is given for those that would like to try and make their own repairs. Sources for professional repairs are listed at the top of this page. This information is given for those that would like to try and make some simple repairs on their own. Use these methods at your discretion. We assume no responsibility for any problems you may have from trying these methods. However, we feel that most people can make these repairs with just a little patience and a little practice. Hint.... make your first attempts on an inexpensive piece.

Eyelash repairs

After using numerous products suggested by people that regularly repair eyelashes we recommend the following. Item A is called Liquitex a Modeling Paste available at craft stores. We purchased this 8 ounce plastic container from Hobby Lobby for $9.99 and will last for hundreds of repairs. It may be available in several different size containers. It has the consistency of toothpaste. I apply it directly to the last to be repaired. Also works great on chips and cracks. Made from marble dust and a polymer emulsion. Will dry hard overnight and may be sanded. View B broken eyelash. View C Liquitex applied and after 20 to 30 minutes I squeeze it between my water moistened fingers gently to form its shape. The next day after it has hardened sand lightly to final shape. View D painted eyelash. Since eyelashes are black it is easy to match color although I generally paint both eyelashes.

Liquitex advantages.... inexpensive.... easy to apply.... dries hard overnight.... may be sanded and painted

Liquitex disadvantages... Although you may try and build it up to repair larger items like broken fingers I find it can be brittle even after it hardens making a future break possible. Therefore I use it for eyelashes, and smaller items like chips and cracks. For larger items like broken fingers I recommend the next item.

Finger / Bow type repairs

For larger items such as broken fingers, broken bows, large chips I came up with this item. I had been using another product but found it expensive and hard to obtain. Some other products worked well too, but I began to search for a product that was inexpensive, easily obtainable and easy to use. I experimented with many different products and then came across this one day quite by accident. Available at Do It Best Hardware stores it is called EpoxyBond Industrial Strength Household Repair Epoxy Putty. There are several different products by this company for different repairs in similar looking packages so make sure to get the Household Repair Epoxy Putty pictured here. For example they sell a metal pipe repair product in a package that looks almost identical. One tube holds a Resin and the other the Hardener. This package was around $3.99 and there is enough to do numerous repairs. It mixes like putty and hardens rock hard. Wrap the unused portions back up ( see package instructions). Mix the two parts together. It will then have the consistency of clay. View F above is a large broken bow. View G is the bottom part of the bow applied. Because this was a large bow, I found it best to apply the bottom let it harden overnight, then apply the top part of the bow in view H the next day. After view H hardened it was easily sanded and then painted as in view I. As in the eyelash example above black is easy to match. If making fingers or some other object the hard part is matching the color.

EpoxyBond advantages . suitable for large breaks, broken fingers, bows etc. as it can be molded like clay before being applied. Inexpensive. Easily obtained. Dries extremely hard. I found it easier to sand after it hardened than other products I had previously tried or had recommended. May be painted.

Epoxy disadvantages.... Can be a little hard to remove from your fingers, however if you follow the instructions on the package this is really not a problem. Sensitive skin users are urged to use rubber gloves.

Sources for professional repairs

We encourage you to try the above repairs if you would like. However many will prefer the services of a professional. Professional repairs are those that are done by trained experts, and the repairs they do are almost completely if not completely undetected after their repairs are made. Professionals are also able to match colors that may be impossible for the average person, especially when it comes to flesh tones. For professional repairs we recommend the sources at the top of this web page : Please contact them directly. More about their services and other repair and cleaning tips are in our new book Collecting Head Vases Identification and Values 384 pages by Collector Books

SECTION C AUCTION SERVICE

Rowley's Auction Service in Attica, Michigan specializes in antiques, collectibles and head vase auctions. They will be happy to discuss liquidating your head vase collections. Visit them on the web at http://www.rowleyauctions.com or you may call them toll free at 1-877-489-4777. Thanks to Rowley auctions for donating a $50 cash prize at the 2006 annual head vase convention.