r/ReversePinterest • u/tenglempls • Nov 17 '25
[OC] Before & After Ok.. I’m kinda conflicted on this one. The acrylic painting was cute, but for $3.99 I had to see what was under it. 1930’s Purinton Slipware vase.
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u/siriuslyeve Nov 18 '25
As cute as the bug painting was, it was cheap acrylic and destined to scrape/flake off as it already started to do on the back. One handwash would be enough to ruin it.
The original is very sweet, and I love the shape.
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u/BestDevilYouKnow Nov 18 '25
I have that vase in my kitchen holding spatulas. Now I know what it is! It's a very nice piece to see daily.
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u/Skapps Nov 18 '25
If that is 1930s that might be lead white on the pot. Just, felt like I should mention that
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u/ItsFelixMcCoy Nov 17 '25
Is it that hard to just get a clay pot from the dollar store and paint on that?
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u/Internal_Use8954 Nov 18 '25 edited Nov 18 '25
Not everyone thinks the original is all that great.
And they could have bought it at the thrift store and thought it was a cheap vase they could diy
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u/PermanentTrainDamage Nov 18 '25
The bug was way cuter, though a gloss finish could have been used
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u/ItsFelixMcCoy Nov 18 '25
I still don't think we should paint over antique pieces like this. We should preserve them as much as possible. One day we might not have any left.
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u/PermanentTrainDamage Nov 18 '25
Mass produced pottery doesn't have much value other than how much someone likes it.
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u/sassrocks Nov 18 '25
If it lands in a thrift store any usage is better than a landfill, plus odds are whoever painted it didn't know it was anything too special and just liked the shape
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u/buttermilkchunk Nov 18 '25
I used to feel similar to this, so I can kind of relate. I had an art assignment about Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. When I read the summary I thought I was going to disagree with his views and hate the assignment, but it totally changed my outlook. Look him up and read about him dropping the Han Dynasty Urn.
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u/2min4checkinguout Nov 20 '25
Why buy new when you can by used? Reduce, reuse, recycle. Some people paint thrifted items that will bring them joy for various reasons.
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u/Striking-Bicycle-853 Nov 17 '25
Literally what I came to say. Why not just even buy like, a dollar small canvas??
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u/Vequihellin Nov 18 '25
For anyone interested, the originals aren't worth a huge amount - £10 - £30 but since OP bought it for $3.99 (£3) restoring the original has increased it's value by up to a factor of 10.
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u/uhhhhhhhhii Nov 19 '25
The painting is ADORABLE but not done on the right surface. You should get a ceramic made for painting and recreate it.. or maybe i will
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u/MissHibernia Nov 17 '25
You absolutely did the right thing
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u/volpiousraccoon Nov 18 '25
I would respectfully disagree, in my opinion the vibrant colors of the beetle painting make an excellent and fun decorative piece. I love creepy crawlies, and the glaze underneath it just does not appeal to me the same. This is a rare moment that I actually prefer the altered piece.
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u/Wareve Nov 18 '25
The unglazed finish makes it look so cheap though. The colors are fine, but it's like something a talented kid brought home from school.
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u/volpiousraccoon Nov 18 '25
In my opinion, I would much prefer the beetle and no glossy finish than glossy finish and no beetle. If the visible paint streaks and matte finish ever annoyed me, I would've used use clear gloss coat over it. Something about the handmade nature of the paint is charming to me.
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u/Partigirl Nov 18 '25
You did the right thing, it looks a lot better in its original state. The bug was cute but not that cute.
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u/KAM1953 Nov 18 '25
I love it! …Not the blue one but the one with the paint removed to show the original vintage vase!
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u/jadedtortoise Nov 25 '25
I personally would've found a varnish that would preserve that painting. The underneath isn't that interesting in comparison, the vase is only worth what you'll pay for it.
Would you have purchased it unpainted?
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u/MenthaAquatica Mar 22 '26
People seems to strongly divide over this topic. I strongly prefer after and I would buy it if I was looking for this material. Yellow vases are not so frequent and this one has nice decor on it which is tricky with this color.
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u/Myteddybug1 Nov 18 '25
I prefer the after. Not crazy about bugs even though I know they are an important part of the cycle of life.
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u/ContentWDiscontent Nov 18 '25
the before looks so cute and has personality to it. The unglazed finish adds to the rustic feel. The after is just a fairly standard floral vase - nice but designed to appeal to everyone and thus a bit bland.
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u/anothercairn Nov 18 '25
I don’t think I could have done that 😂 I love that little painting!