Today I'm listing a collection of make do items from the Collection of the late Robert Thayer and some from my collection.  I buy make do items because of my love of make do--I would not necessarily acquire a piece of porcelain or glass serving piece without the make do because they are not usually in my area of interest.  And I warn you up front, that I'm in the fast and furious listing stage of presenting things for your holiday shopping, so photos have been taken and edited quickly and descriptions will be shorter than usual with less research done.  Ask questions if I've forgotten to tell you something about condition and please share information about these porcelain items because I just don't have time to research and porcelain is not my strong point.  If I research it, the price will have to go up……please share knowledge that you have.

I've always loved the early repaired pieces that show us how precious things were to our ancestors.  We are always accused of being a throw-away society (and I agree with that accusation) but the ultimate in green living is to waste not, want not.  When something broke, our ancestors fixed it or repurposed it into something usable.

When I started collecting make do, I did so because I was enchanted with the pin cushions that made do of broken glass bases of lamps and other items.  This pin cushion make do has been in my collection for years.  Here we have a late Victorian pressed glass lamp base topped with a lovely beaded velvet pincushion.  The black velvet base for the pincushion shows some of its nap as it was obviously well loved, probably before it was used for this make do.  I believe that the beaded bird, made of colorless glass beads was probably part of a trade piece made and sold by the Iroquois at the end of the 19th century.  Possibly a small pillow.  The make do artist, placed it atop this glass base and then added these lovely strings of beaded fringe using colorless, black and red beads.  Beautifully done but the cushion is a bit tippy on the top….it wobbles a bit back and forth.  7 1/2" tall X 4 3/4" diameter.

(#372)     $365

Provenance:  Collection of Peggy McClard

References for Make Do

Baseman, Andrew, "Past Imperfect: the art of inventive repair", http://andrewbaseman.com/blog/

Naetzker, Donald P., Waste Not Want Not: The Art of the Make-Do, (self published) 1986.