Museums staff at Ipswich Borough Council are asking for the public's help in tracing a little boy who had a “smashing” time at Christchurch Mansion.
The boy was visiting the mansion with his relatives last summer when he accidentally knocked a historic jug off a window ledge, smashing it into 65 pieces.
The lad, who is believed to have been four or five at the time, was 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.
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.
A council spokesman said: "We want to reassure the little lad that all is well. We would like to invite him and his family back to have a special tour and see the magically-mended jug. We don’t know if the boy is local or if he was a visitor to the area. If one of his relatives is reading this we would like them to get in touch by calling 01473 432035."
The jug, which has been on display in the mansion for many years, is called a Puzzle Jug because it has four 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.
