Can This Heirloom Plate Be Saved?

This lovely Haviland plate was accidentally knocked off a wall where it had been displayed with three other companion plates. The owner inherited the plates from her husband’s mother and they are of great sentimental value. There is a process by which this plate may be restored to it’s original beauty. First the pieces must be washed in order to remove any dirt or oil from handling that might interfere with good contact when glued. Then it must be carefully glued. This can be tricky. When two pieces fit tightly together unglued, the glue will take up some very miniscule space between the two pieces when glued together. When multiple pieces are glued together it is easy to see that the total space taken up by the glue can be significant. This additional space sometimes makes it very difficult to achieve the original shape of the piece. After the plate has been glued the tiny visible crack made by the glue must be filled with porcelain filler. Then the fill has to be sanded smooth. This often takes several applications and lots of sanding. When I have completed the process of washing, gluing, filling and sanding, I will post a picture of the plate at that point in the process. An explanation of the next steps in the process will accompany the photograph. Check back in about three weeks for the rest of the story.