Featured Galvan Mexican Plate -- Repair Advice?

I found this plate signed Galvan. Any thoughts on the artist? I see at least two I think with that name/location.

It's 12 inches wide.

It has a crack, which of course looks worse in the flash but maybe that will help in repair.

Anyone ever repair something like this?

Is there a market for a plate like this with such a crack?

I can take a photo of the back soon now I'm home.

I'm going to take the label off with a warm iron unless anyone has other suggestions.

 

Your rain maker is
Kokopelli

 

Uh, Kokopelli is a fertility god. If you're keeping it, find a way to display it, not use it.

 

It has designed into it a clay "hook" that you can put a hanger through. That's not the word I'm looking for, more like a built-up mound with a tunnel in it that you string something through.

 

I don't think that this is anything all that uncommon. Here's one I recently found for a few bucks at an estate sale. I might try to sell it for $10 in my case:

 

I'm not sure those are comparable. Yours is Mexican Tonalá ware and the OPs' is Made in México with a American Southwestern motif.

Debora

 

The many concentric rings on mine is a nice touch I'm not sure I've seen that often, not that many.

I wonder if Galvan is a famous family of potters.

 

"...I'm going to take the label off..."

I'll assume the label is adhesive-backed paper. Put a few drops of cooking oil on it, go to bed. Inna AM, that label will lift right off.

 

I routinely stabilize (repair) cracked porcelain & kitchen crockery with Cyanoacrylate Glue (SuperGlue). Get the liquid, rather than the gel. Apply just enough to wet the length of the crack, starting on the back side. Let it set overnight, then do the same on the face. When both are cured, scrape any residual away with a razor knife or blade. Once cured, it's safe to eat from, and I've had no failures or other issues.
One caution: it's probably not oven proof, and may not be dishwasher proof, either. Good Luck!

If you're gonna offer the piece for sale, just mention, with a pic of the crack, that you've stabilized it...which sounds better (to me) than repaired.

 

These techniques will work on high fired, glazed ceramics. In this case, the piece is a lower fired pottery, and the colored slip decoration remains somewhat porous and may be more easily scratched. Cooking oil may end up staining it, and scraping with a knife may also cause damage.

For removing the adhesive label, I would suggest trying mineral spirits, applying it to the top of the paper with a Q-tip or dropper. You can also use a dampened swab to remove any residual adhesive. It may darken the ceramic temporarily, but usually evaporates without leaving a permanent stain.

 

I used the warm iron method which usually works well on adhesive labels but requires some skill. You don't want to make it too hot, and it takes some time even when the right temperature to hold the iron in place. You can damage records very quickly if you try to take a label off while the vinyl is still inside.