Ozark roadside tourist pottery

Picked up this Ozark tourist birdbath last Fall from an estate I picked. Was told it sat in the garden for over 60 years. These can go for a lot of money but this one is in pretty bad shape. Hope to try to stabilize/restore it enough to use. Any ideas/tips?

These are really not pottery. Made of concrete with some kind of slip coating. This is pretty badly faded but more color comes out when wet. Thinking if I get some kind of finish on this after stabilizing, it will help the look. Ideas what to use?


Someone has recoated the interior with concrete at some point. It is chipping out some but is mostly stable. There are layers of paint under the added concrete. Some can be seen at edge. I have since removed all visible paint chips and any loose concrete. Lastly, as you can see, it is badly cracked. I actually think the added concrete in the interior is holding it together, though it does leak. Ideas on stabilization? What to do with the interior?

 

I have had luck with Milliput for ceramics. It comes in different colors and can be painted. You can sculpt with it, too.

 

Thanks for the tip. Have not used Milliput but sounds very similar to an epoxy putty I use sometimes. Have thought about using it for the cracks but am somewhat concerned that it could work as a wedge in the crack, causing it to fail with temperature changes. Not sure, but might need something more flexible?

 

Don't know what to use to make repairs but if you get that far then this is pretty good to entirely coat concrete items to waterproof them.

 

That's a cool piece, Brad. Hope you can resurrect it. Anything cool and yard related sells like hotcakes where I live.

 

Hi,
I have several really old bird baths that had leaks. I used the stuff called Dry-Loc or similar which is used to stop leaks in basements. I only used the bright white which tones down after a few years.
greg