posted on September 3, 2000 02:51:13 AM
I just answered another post and thought of a new (to me) thread. I was joking that I once sold a couple of Royal Copenhagen plates that were obviously badly chipped and cracked. I was going to throw them out but figured I'd give it a try. I was surprised to see a few bids and they sold, not for much, but I didn't pay anything for them.
It just now dawned on me - perhaps they were purchased with the intent to defraud another seller. You know, receive a good one and return the broken one.
I have three more nicely broken plates that look exactly as if they were damaged in shipping. I was going to try again, but they'll be in the trash tomorrow.
posted on September 3, 2000 03:52:39 AM
People who collect and are looking for that special something to complete a set will purchase something like that even if it is broken. Especially at a cheap price. I wouldnt throw it out I would list and sell....
posted on September 3, 2000 04:49:19 AM
Maybe the buyers were planning to create mosaics with the plates - I have seen entire tables covered with bits of broken ceramics. And the chips and cracks would not matter then, only the color and design of the piece.
posted on September 3, 2000 05:06:46 AM
Hi, I agree with Hamburgler. A collector could add a wonderful chipped piece to a grouping in a china cupboard. Place another
item in front of the flaw and no one could tell the difference. Unless my father-in-law comes...he snoops through everything!
I would like to add that I use my grandmother's damaged blue willow plates on
the wall. Looks great with other blue and yellow items and I don't have to worry about
plate hangers causing more damage. They have large chips on the back. One has a dark hairline but since it is nearest the ceiling you cannot see it.
I also understand that customers are buying
old damaged plates to break up for mosiac work. Some of the pieces I have seen are wonderful. I just hope they are using badly damaged items. I think I would have a hard time wacking a beautiful slightly damaged plate with a hammer though.
LabRat
[Sorry, abacaxi posted while I was writing. I agree with both posters!]
posted on September 3, 2000 06:05:20 AM
Another posibility-I buy chipped plates and break them into little pieces to make mosaics with! I cover planters, line birdbaths, etc, with them.
No matter what you have, there's somebody out there with a use for it.
posted on September 3, 2000 06:32:46 AM
...and those mosaic pieces go for big bucks on ebay. There's one seller who does lots of very pretty pieces she's cut on a tile saw. She's got a whole website full! anothertaxk, maybe you should suggest the "mosaic" angle in your listings so that crafters will see these auctions in your searches
posted on September 3, 2000 07:05:17 AM
Thanks for telling us - another thing I had never heard of at all I will go look for it.
I would think you could do some interesting designs with a diamond band saw like they use to cut curved shapes for stained glass
[ edited by macandjan on Sep 3, 2000 07:06 AM ]
posted on September 3, 2000 09:15:07 AM
Well, yet again a lot of help from the message board. Thanks a lot.
I originally thought people would use them to finish sets or make mosaic designs. My cynicism got to me I guess. The broken plates go up for auction with a hint to crafters.
No matter how cynical I get I just can't seem to keep up - auth unknown
posted on September 3, 2000 09:24:14 AM
Just one more thing I thought I should add...
I know I'm in the minority, but some of us LIKE to collect older chipped or cracked pieces. !! I'm sure you will think I am wacko, but I ONLY collect old Fiesta that has chips, cracks, etc. I love that shabby (ducking) lived in look. I don't use it (I have new Fiestaware for that) I just display it. I love things that are a little worn. I think part of it is my recycler's heart---and part of it is having read "The Velveteen Rabbit" too many times as a kid---who knows. I like things that have been loved a lot and have some of that "damage" we call "experience" when it happens to people.
posted on September 3, 2000 09:28:23 AM
You can use any number of methods for mosaic, depending on where you're putting the piece.
My favorite (seriously lazy here) is to use premixed unsanded grout. Comes in a quart container (like ricotta cheese) at e.g. Home Depot, and you can usually get it in colors, or you can add tint to it; I suspect that you could use any acrylic paint to do this (such as the little $1 squeeze bottles of craft paint you can get at the craft store).
Anyway, although you can stick the "tiles' down with anything from thinset (mortar) to Liquid Nails, I just use the grout, because it has a longer setting time than Liquid Nails and is (obviously) the same color as the grout you'll use between the tiles.
Spread a 1/8" layer of it onto your surface arrange the tiles how you want, let dry at least overnight, then rub more grout over the entire surface to get it in between the tiles, wipe off most of the excess at a 45 degree angle to the tiles (that way you won't be taking out the grout!), let set up until firm, then go over the whole surface with one of those plastic scrubbers you use to clean Teflon pans to remove the rest.
Idiotproof, requires a minimum of supplies, and very pretty. You can also do this with pieces of stained glass, but obviously (a) the result is going to be opaque and (b) you don't need to use as much goo to stick them down.
Maybe it's because I'm used to working with bits and pieces of things, but this seller's website made me drool. Here it is for you to ponder how to sell (or use) YOUR broken dishes:
posted on September 3, 2000 09:45:53 AMHCQ I've got several boxes of ceramic and porcelain pieces that have slight flaws in the finished piece. I used to do a lot of ceramics and had saved these pieces to do something with...eventually.
Are you placing the grout on a flat surface - on a piece of squared tile to build on or does the grout go into a specially made mold? IOW, what's the best base for the piece?
posted on September 3, 2000 09:46:23 AM
I would not throw them old treasures out damaged or not.
we need to write a book and a song about this Ebay Phobia and self police thing going on here.
Im gona write mac davis any one remmember him "Oh lord it,s hard to be humble"
he use to have a show on tv and dureing the show he had a bit in it where people would give him a word or a sentnce and he would make a silly song of it.
maybe he will do this for for ebay sellers .
my sentnce for him will be
"everyones out to do somebody wrong"
and its title I think will be Ebay Phobia
NO NO wait a min this would be copy write infringement BJ Thomas already sang a song just like that titled hey wont you play that(somebody done somebody wrong song)
must be the ebay seller in me comeing out trying to infringe on a copy write like that I hope the vero group isnt watching :P
Oh god theres a knock at the door help me hide the computer will ya !!!!!!!!
Honestly many collects will buy great items with some damage to finish a collection at low price and over time replace if they can with better.
they are filling a whole in there set and since it cost you nothing its all free money
WWW.dman-n-company.com
[ edited by dman3 on Sep 3, 2000 09:50 AM ]
posted on September 3, 2000 10:34:21 AM
Thanks all thats interesting information about Mosaic. The old adage still rings true. Someones junk is someone else's treasure. I suppose then you could could use old bathroom tiles as well. Talk a bout recycling!
Angel
" Go sell crazy someplace else, We're all stocked up here!"
posted on September 3, 2000 11:17:28 AM
Base can be anything that's absolutely rigid, from concrete (like one of those garden pavers or a birdbath, to Wonderboard (underlayment for ceramic floors, walls and countertop), to plywood (preferably 3/4" pressure-treated) to glass (a good use for those cheap, otherwise hideous florist containers). You could easily pop out a couple wall tiles in your shower and put mosaic there, which is what my mother did in her new bath.
One artist on a Christoper Lowell segment used a glass salad bowl - and here's a neat twist: She applied metallic leaf to part of the interior, decoupaged some interesting prints to other areas, sponge-painted the rest of the interior some dark colors and sealed it with polyurethane, then used broken Heineken and Coke bottles as the tile right over the leafed, painted and decoupaged areas, adhering them with Liquid Nails clear sealant, grouted with slate-black grout, and metallic-leafed the outside and sealed it with polyurethan again. Oooooooooh. (but obviously not useable for salad anymore)
I have seen some pretty spectacular work done with assorted colors of broken tiles - the kind you'd use in your bath or kitchen. Take a look at the site I noted above for some great ideas!
[ edited by HartCottageQuilts on Sep 3, 2000 11:20 AM ]
posted on September 3, 2000 12:34:02 PM
Just remember e7000 is not good for outside use. For the planters and birdbaths, etc, I use liquid nail to glue them in place, then grout just like you would a tile floor.
On the birdbaths, I seal with a good coat of varathane-it keeps the grout from getting dirty.
I also use pieces of colored glass for sparkle-I did the birdbath in our yard all in blue and white china with pieces of a broken cobalt hobnail basket. You can stick in those little flattened marbles you buy for plants, odd pieces of jewelry, etc, to give it personality. Almost anything that is waterproof!
