I recently bought what I think is a small Stuart Cairngorm small bowl, probably a salt? The bowl itself is a peach colour rather than clear, but has the applied green Cairngorm decoration. Incidentally, it is identical to one owned by my aunt left to her by an old lady who died forty years ago. It is 5 3/8" across and stands 2 3/4" high.
Firstly, did Stuart ever do the Cairngorm pattern on a peachy-orange body colour?
Secondly, a really stupid question, and an admission of some particularly stupid behaviour. I was gingerly transporting it to a safe place, but for some reason I had my keys in my hands at the same time. My three year old dashed around the corner, and in nervous reaction I snatched it up high, and my keys clattered on its side. Upon inspecting it, I discovered a small chip and a slight hairline on the applied frill decoration around its waist - and I hadn't checked it properly beforehand. I am not sure whether the chip was my fault with the keys or whether the vendor had missed it! Is it likely that banging with a set of keys (not greatly heavy) could have caused the damage (I suspect it is possible).
How much would the small (2mm) chip and tiny hairline in the frill detract from the value of the piece? Is there anything that I can do to stabilise the crack so that it doesn't spread, or is it possible to have the piece repaired?
Cathy.