Choisey le Roi
Sometimes I realize just what a lucky man I am. Witness a china plate from about 1780. French. 
Made before Napolean marched across Europe. Proudly displayed as part of a complete set on a shelf I had made for my wife high on the wall in our kitchen.
A stuffed toy thrown for a dog led to the plate's fall and demise. As the airborne toy tore the plate from it's perch, my perceptions became slow motion. The plate twirled and twisted on it's axis as it approached terra firma, on a collision course with a jubilant black German Shepherd Dog leaping upwards to grab an errant toy in her jaws.
I have always felt that we live an ethereal existence, with the things around us being little different. Yet this plate had survived over two centuries intact and cared for. It was one of my wife's prized possessions. No more. I am a lucky man. My wife forgave me, and life goes on.
Made before Napolean marched across Europe. Proudly displayed as part of a complete set on a shelf I had made for my wife high on the wall in our kitchen. A stuffed toy thrown for a dog led to the plate's fall and demise. As the airborne toy tore the plate from it's perch, my perceptions became slow motion. The plate twirled and twisted on it's axis as it approached terra firma, on a collision course with a jubilant black German Shepherd Dog leaping upwards to grab an errant toy in her jaws.
I have always felt that we live an ethereal existence, with the things around us being little different. Yet this plate had survived over two centuries intact and cared for. It was one of my wife's prized possessions. No more. I am a lucky man. My wife forgave me, and life goes on.
posted by Xavier at 8:46 PM
10 Comments:
I'm nauseous, and it wasn't even mine.
Life goes on. Most physical objects which man has made, will unfortunately be lost through accidents, war, disaster, anger or apathy. Life is more important ('cept when you're defending a physical object more important to you than a perp's life).
Forgiveness from the the people most precious to you, is priceless.
Super glue time. Your wife is one wonderful lady.
Now that's true love. :)
(I knew there was a reason I preferred my antiques to be made out of machined steel forgings. Still, I felt ill last night when I dropped my '43 Duo on the flagstones outside...)
I felt the same dang way when I dropped a coffee cup I bought the first year I went to Perry. Priceless antiques, busted to hell.
I think you could get her an Andrea Doria plate on ebay. Maybe that would square it up.
And you might be surprised what a good restoration person could do.
That'll buff out! Really! A little superglue and you'll never know the difference!
(I assume the remainder of the collection will forthwith be secured in earthquake-proof mounts?)
I feel for you and your wife.
Especially for you!
I have a couple means of avoiding things like that. First, nothing valuable resides in the living room (outside of the tv), because I'm a klutz. Second, laser pointers are the best dog/cat toy ever. I haven't met a dog yet that won't chase that little red dot relentlessly until they're completely exhausted.
Sometimes, I'm certain that my dog thinks it's a playmate. Some days I just put the dot on the ceiling and loop it around to get our lab to run laps. The key thing is to find a laser pointer that takes AA or AAA batteries, intstead of the watch variety.
Congratulations on having a wife that can forgive that type of thing. My first wife would have never forgiven something like that.
From the photo, I would say it can be restored. Take it to a professional.
She's a keeper, and you're a lucky guy. But she's lucky to have you, too.
And there are always wonderful mosaics to be made. Or a silversmith could make a piece of jewelry from it, too - that bee, for example, would be marvelous in a silver bezel.
It's a long shot but you might want to try Replacements Limited.
http://www.replacementslimited.com/
Other than a bit of time, what's to loose?
Full disclosure: I have no financial or other interest in them whatsoever. They're just a local company.
Xavier--
Keep the pieces. Next time you're putting in a tile mosaic, grout in those pieces. We do this occasionally at my house.
If you don't have a floor that you're thinking of tiling, drop me a line.
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