My flea market lamp looked perfect until I felt the seam

I almost bought a ceramic lamp that seemed fine but had a hidden repair (you know, where it was glued back together). I figured it out by running my finger along the base and noticing a slight ridge. Now I always bring a small flashlight to check for glue lines in the glaze, which catch the light. It saved me from buying a cracked vase just the other day. Another tip is to tap the item gently and listen for a dull sound, which can mean a weak spot. Just be careful with ceramics that look too good to be true, and inspect them closely.

3 comments

3 Comments

susan_nguyen1mo ago

Did you learn the hard way too? I always thought if something looked solid it was okay, but I bought a painted bowl that fell apart when I washed it. Now I run my finger over everything and tap it like you said, it's saved me so many times. That flashlight trick is genius though, I'm gonna start doing that.

the_pat1mo ago

Man, my buddy got totally burned on a vintage teapot last month. Looked flawless on the shelf, but when he got it home and held it under the kitchen light, you could see this whole spiderweb of hairline cracks. He said it felt smooth as anything to the touch, so the light trick is the only thing that would've caught it.

nancy_ellis1mo ago

Ugh, that's so true about surfaces hiding the real story. I see it all the time with people and situations, not just old lamps. Everything looks fine until you find that seam.