A beginner’s exercise in the Japanese Art of Kintsugi – ‘Golden Joinery’ —— also known as Kintsukuroi —— ‘Golden Repair’ – or in my case crudely painting over the cracks!!!   

On Tuesday, 21st. April 2020, I posted a somewhat sorry post on Instagram about a significant jug I’d received in the post that day – that unfortunately arrived in pieces! Perhaps by pure coincidence, it arrived on the anniversary of Charlotte Brontë’s 204th birthday at 1:03 pm precisely – how fitting in itself! I bought the jug online on the 11th —— and had been expectantly waiting for it to come as it was a present to myself to mark my official visit to the ‘Brontë Parsonage Museum’ in Haworth – on Monday, 15th. April 2019 —— almost a year to the day.

However, for me ‘Brontëland’ exists away from the Parsonage window; in a dream I had quite a few years ago —— long before the Brontës showed up on my radar so to speak. The place ‘Brontëland’ in my dream – was a graveyard – more specifically, a burial chamber that was raised and rectangular in shape with a heavy stone slab atop…

In my dream – I saw a wondrous lightshow as ‘blinding’ as the Sun rising only brighter —— emanating upwards and outwards from under the slab – then I woke up! It’s only in recent years —— due to my in depth research into the ‘lost’ portrait of Emily Brontë by Charlotte – that symbolically, I’ve put two and two together and given my dream a name, ‘Brontëland’ – as written on’t jug!

So yes! I was disappointed that my not easily replaced vintage jug that bears the name ‘Brontëland’ arrived at my door broken into a ‘thousand’ pieces’. So this is the story about the ‘Crying Jug’s’ resurrection…  

The following excerpt from my Instagram post titled ’The Crying Jug’ —— explains the sorry situation: 

“Well — today, 21st April 2020 — is Charlotte’s birthday — she was born on this day in 1816 in Thornton, Yorkshire — in ‘Brontëland’! And what better way to celebrate this special day in the Brontë calendar — than with the arrival of a ‘new’ piece of Brontëana to add to my humble collection!

Today, at precisely 1:03 pm — I was delivered of a beautiful ‘Blueware’ jug made by ‘New Devon Pottery’ Newton Abbot, Devon — yes a little piece of this company that is no longer in production returned to the county of its origin — only in a thousand pieces!!!

I have been patiently waiting for it to come since I bought it online on the 11th April 2020 — and voila! it arrived on Charlotte’s birthday!

I had envisioned a bunch of freshly picked blue-bells in it from one of my walks — but alas that dream is now broken!

I’ve given it a go — at reassembling the pieces but I think it is beyond my skills — and patience — although I may return to it once the first gluing has set…” 

These images show the state of the jug when it arrived…

Encouraged by some of my lovely Instagram followers, most namely ‘Yorkshire Cathie’ – I decided to continue with my initial half-hearted effort of sticking a few of the larger pieces together…

Oddly, the shattered jug had two triangular pieces missing – either whole or rendered as dust particles – presumably lost in transit due to the thinness of the packaging! So before I could apply golden lines to my joinery, I had to fill the gaps with ‘Milliput’…Admittedly, the finish is a bit rough round the edges and the light still shows through the gaps and it’s never going to hold water —— but that’s all part of the Crying Jug’s story.

And now to the third phase of its restoration; the Golden phase…Because of Lockdown and no non-essential shops open at the minute – I have used materials that were to hand in my trusty cupboard only…‘Ta dah’!!! Presenting the ‘Crying Jug’ —— Kintsukuroi STYLE…

And today, Friday 24th April 2020…

All’s well that ends well —— the seller made an immediate refund on’t jug too!

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Addendum: Saturday, 25th April 2020.

To read about the history of the pottery that originally shaped the ‘Crying Jug’ —— click on their name: ‘New Devon Pottery’ Newton Abbot, Devon.

And to read about Beaver symbolism – click HERE

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