Artist/Maker Unknown
Date Production/Creation
Around 1850
Entry in the museum collection
1916
Place of origin
Unknown
Current location
Museum of Walloon Life - Province of Liège, Belgium
Material
White earthenware with a blue design and a tin handle
Dimension
15.5 × 11.5 × 19 cm.
Inventory Number 5003755
Keyword Home Container Repair
Copyright Province of Liège – Museum of Walloon Life
Status In storage
Image Credit Province of Liège – Museum of Walloon Life
Waste is a luxury. Until very recently, few could afford simply to throw things away.
What is this object about, who are the people behind it?
In the 19th century, an earthenware coffee set was a luxury not many people could afford. Being fragile, these earthenware items could be chipped or break, and so they could be repaired to make them last longer, as with this coffee pot whose handle has been replaced by a tin frame.
What places is this object related to, how European/transnational is it?
Extending the life of objects rather than buying new ones was normal practice in Europe until the middle of the 20th century. If an everyday object could not be repaired by a member of the family, it was taken to a specialist for repair. This has become popular again in the 21st century for both financial and ecological reasons, as reflected in the Repair Cafés springing up in various towns and cities in Europe.
Why and how did this object arrive in the museum’s collection?
Unknown.
What is the relation of this object to waste?
Repairing items is one way of reducing waste by extending the life of objects.
