1970's Porcelain Terrapin Soup Tureen

Artist/Maker: Lizbeth McNett Stewart

Object Date: c. 1975

Materials: Soft-paste porcelain, lead glaze with luster and metallic enamels

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Description: The object is a soft paste porcelain tureen sculpted into the form of a terrapin with an extended tail and head and four legs that culminate in clawed feet. A small bird originally stood at the apex of the carapace (top shell) and leaned over the neck of the turtle. The bird was attached to the carapace with adhesive at the feet, rather than being fired on during the original fabrication or attached with a metal armature.

Condition: The object is in overall poor condition and has sustained multiple campaigns of damage, repair and subsequent damage. There are numerous structural and surface concerns across all components (bird finial, lid and tureen body).

Treatment

Purpose of Treatment

The purpose of treatment is to re-adhere broken elements, stabilize the bird finial, and aesthetically reintegrate the appearance of the object to an acceptable level.

Treatment (completed)

1. Pre-treatment examination and photodocumentation.  
2. Surface cleaning. 
3. Reversed several prior restorations and joins. Altered other fills to a more desirable shape. 
4. Reattached all existing fragments of bird finial and tureen body. 
5. Compensated losses and resurfaced old fills using Hxtal epoxy.

6. Inpainted fills and toned areas of abrasion on carapace.  
7. The bird finial will not be reattached to the tureen lid at this time but will be kept separate with the goal of potentially reuniting the

elements in the future. Constructed a storage mount for the bird finial to give it appropriate support.