A fine quality Chinese export Mandarin porcelain bowl, featuring a stunning staple repair.

Why we like it

While of good size and beautifully decorated, it is the staple repairs that makes this bowl exceptional: the refinement of the original piece and the gross, crude repairs make a stunning contrast.

Once regarded merely as damaged goods by antiques dealers and collectors alike, staple-repaired porcelain is very rare and is now justly receiving the respect it deserves.

Staple or rivet repair was a common way to mend expensive or treasured broken ceramics in the 18th and 19th centuries. China was a highly prized commodity, and households could not afford to throw broken pieces away, especially such exotic and expensive items as this bowl.