For Kate Smith, a professional ceramic restorer, it is her job to put these sentimental tokens of childhood and family back together for many years and more repairs to come.
The York-based craftswoman fell into the job of ceramic restoration quite by chance after trends in society and culture changed, which meant there was less demand for her original job in heritage sculpture making models and busts for The Jorvik museum.
She said: “People didn’t want models, they wanted technology, science, computer stuff so the work became less and less.
“My mum had a friend who thought being a ceramic restorer would suit me.
“It is mostly sentimental value. If I had a pound for everyone who said ‘it is not worth anything’, I would have retired years ago.
“They are things people have around the house that they…
