howeenterprise.com
Monday, March 16, 2015
Page #11
Learn about your antiques and collectibles with Georgia Caraway piece in one hand and support the base with the other.
I have supplemented Joniece’s helpful hints for handling precious antique items with some of my own from my book, TIPS, TOOLS, & The next time you pour tea or coffee, be sure to TECHNIQUES. TT&T will be available at support the pot by its handle and by placing Howe Mercantile when we open April 25. May your other hand (with hot pad) beneath it for each day be an odyssey into the wonderful support. Remember the extra weight of the world of antiques. liquid could cause unseen hairline fractures to A good friend of mine shared an article with me crack. What a disaster to not only have your that was written by Joniece Frank, daughter of pot break but to potentially scald yourself or a Dr. Georgia Caraway, former director of the the late John Frank of Frankoma Pottery fame. friend with hot liquid. Denton County Museums for 14 years, will be The article, “Handle with Good Sense,” opening the Howe Mercantile on Howe’s appeared in Pot & Puma, a newsletter for Some teapots, coffee pots, casseroles, and Founders Day, April 25. She has also written collectors of Frankoma. pitchers have hollow handles. Most folks Tips, Tools, & Techniques: Caring for Your don’t think about the construction of their Antiques and Collectibles and four Denton Joniece details the DOs, DON’Ts, ALWAYs, pieces until something bad happens. history books. and NEVERs of handling Frankoma; however, these same precautions pertain to all pottery and DO handle items that have reached the age of glassware items. 40 or 50 years old with more caution than your everyday items. Some items become more NEVER handle items with your thumb inside fragile with age. With former president of the rim or opening of a vase, pitcher, or the Howe Community creamer. When you handle a piece by putting Before removing a piece from an upper shelf, Facilities Development your thumb inside, this creates a stress point, check that it does not consist of more than one Corporation, Rebecca putting all the weight of the piece on that one piece. Be sure to take care that the lid is Stanley moving out of location. securely attached or that you remove the lid the city limits of Howe, before lifting it down off the shelf. Vice President Laura NEVER depend on a handle—especially on Duree will be taking over older pieces—to hold the full weight of any NEVER try to pick up more than one piece at a that position starting in piece. Handles and spouts and other prominent time, or to lift lids by the knob. All too often tonight's meeting at the Community Center. parts will be the first area to be knocked and the knob has been repaired and the adhesive Duree is also the executive director of Keep Howe Beautiful. jarred over time, and those areas will more might fail. likely be the parts of the piece to have hairline cracks or be broken off and invisibly repaired. NEVER lift an item over another one in case a Any repaired areas cannot be expected to be as falling part might do double damage. strong as the body of the piece. NEVER reach behind one object to get to ALWAYS handle pieces with both hands. another. Remove the item in the front before DON’T ever pick up a large piece by the side, reaching for the item in the back. by the rim, the edge, or the handle. Cup the
Duree to become HCFDC President
