Search is on for the boy who smashed historic puzzle jug at Ipswich museum - to show him that it has been put back together

Carrie Willis is pictured at Ipswich Art School with the jug. (Image: Archant)

And now museum staff are trying to track down the young child who knocked the piece to show him that it’s all fixed.

The accident happened last summer when the young lad, who is believed to have been four or five, was visiting the museum.

He knocked 18th Century Delft puzzle jug off a window ledge which smashed into 65 pieces.

The jug had been in the museum collection on permanent display for many years. It is called a puzzle jug because it has four spouts and when tipped it is a matter of chance which spout the water or wine will pour from.

Last summer in Christchurch Mansion a young boy accidently knocked an 18th century delft ware puzzle jug off a window ledge and broke it into 65 pieces

The young boy and the adults with him were very upset, and it looked as though the 221-year-old jug’s life was over.

However mansion staff are well drilled in what to do on these occasions.

There is a set procedure to go through in order to ensure that all the pieces are carefully collected. The jug was photographed in its 65 pieces and each piece was carefully counted, logged and bagged.

Carrie Willis, a duty officer at the mansion, was asked by the museum’s conservation officer if she would like to try to repair the jug.

Carrie Willis is pictured with the puzzle jug she has put back together (Image: Archant)

A spokesman for the borough said: “The young lad was very upset by what had happened and they all thought he had destroyed the historic jug.

“We would like to be able to show him and his family that it has all been put back together again and that it is back on show.”

Ms Willis is currently studying for her Conservation Technicians Qualification and it was thought that the reconstruction of the pot would be a good test of her skills.

If she had not accepted the challenge, the pot would most likely have remained in pieces and put in storage for the foreseeable future.

She worked on the jug with direction from Bob Entwistle, the museum’s conservation officer. In order to get the most out of the project she was asked to use a number of different methods to gain experience and try out new procedures.

The finished jug is now on display in the Indigo Section of the COLOURS Exhibition in Ipswich Art School.

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