Singular Objects-The Broken Bowl

I keep this bowl on a shelf in my studio, an example of the beauty of imperfection. It is very old and at one time in its long life it was broken. Whoever owned the bowl then thought it worthwhile to repair. At that time, before the advent of epoxy and polyester resins, the method of repair was the use of rivets or metal clamps fitted through drilled holes to hold the broken pieces together. This method seems to add more destruction to an already damaged item, the contrast of materials...metal against delicate china, is striking.
And yet, despite the unsympathetic restoration, I love this bowl. It has survived, with help. If I had broken the bowl I would have trashed it. At one point in my life that is what I would have done, but not now. I am thankful to the person who thought that this broken bowl was salvageable. It is still beautiful. perhaps even more beautiful now. And it is something that I treasure.