Puzzle jug mishap update

[IceWizard]

Published 6th July 2015

Full story and pic
https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/content/puzzl...hap-update

The mother of the little boy who accidentally
broke a puzzle jug in a Christchurch Mansion
mishap has contacted museums service staff
in Ipswich.

The boy, aged five, was visiting the Mansion
with his relatives last summer when he
accidentally knocked the historic jug off a
window ledge, smashing it into 65 pieces.

The lad and his family were understandably
upset by the accident and Museums staff
thought the jug's 221-year life was over.

However, thanks to the skills of Carrie Willis, a
duty officer at the Mansion, the jug has been
returned to its former glory.

The appeal to find the mystery boy to tell him
all was well and that the jug had been repaired
attracted media interest not only here in Suffolk, but throughout the UK and even
America and South Africa.

A museum spokesman said: "We have
received a call from the boy's mother who told
us the little lad and his family were delighted
that the puzzle jug had been repaired but that
they wished to remain anonymous.

We only know the family were visitors from somewhere in the south east."

Carrie, who is currently studying for her Conservation Technicians Qualification, meticulously pieced the 18th Century Delft
Puzzle Jug back together under the expert
guidance of Bob Entwistle, the museum's
conservation officer.

The repair work took 65 hours – one hour for each smashed piece of pottery. Similar jugs have been valued at between £1,000 and £2,000.

The jug, which has been on display in the
Mansion for many years, is called a puzzle jug
because it has three spouts requiring the user
to guess which spout the water will pour from.

It is now on display at the Ipswich Art School
Gallery as part of the new COLOURS exhibition.