Nicole Campbell MBE, based in South Yorkshire, has launched a charity auction in aid of Cancer Research UK, showcasing the ancient Japanese art of kintsugi.  Every penny raised in the auction will be donated to the charity.  

A practitioner of traditional kintsugi, Nicole has repaired ceramics donated by some of the leading restaurants in the UK using traditional methods and gold, to create unique and beautiful objects. Nicole says:

“The philosophy behind kintsugi is ‘That which was broken, once repaired, becomes stronger and more beautiful’ – a wonderful metaphor for life and in particular for those of us who are living with cancer. It is about honouring scars, rather than hiding them, and finding hope in renewal.”

There will be nearly seventy lots on offer, including ceramics donated from the following restaurants: Alchemilla, Etch, Grace & Savour, Henrock, Kol, Hide, Hjem, Jöro, L’Enclume, Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Lumiere, Mýse, Opheem, Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Pine, Rogan & Co., St John’s, sō-lō, The Black Swan, Oldstead, The Clove Club, The Little Chartroom, The Walled Gardens, UPSTAIRS by Tom Shepherd, Where the Light Gets In & Ynyshir.

The full catalogue will be online from Friday 7th September at 12 noon when the sale will open for bidding.

About Traditional Kintsugi

Traditional kintsugi is not to be confused with ‘modern’, ‘fake’ or ‘neo’ kintsugi which uses epoxy glues and putties and often gold paint to finish.  This is mostly done as a hobby and can often be done in a day.

Traditional kintsugi is a slow and expensive process– each piece takes between 2-3 months to complete, only urushi lacquer is used to make the glue, putty and the layers that build up to a finish. Most pieces will average a minimum of 10, and often more, stages – even if only a simple crack or chip.

To understand more about the traditional kintsugi process used by nmckintsugi, please visit: https://nmckintsugi.com/process/  

Further Notes

The estimate for each lot in the sale takes into account the value of the piece, the time, materials and expertise and the amount of gold powder used to finish the piece. 

With the exception of one piece, ALL items in this sale are finished with 23.75 carat gold, supplied by Gold Leaf Supplies.  The price for 1g at the time of writing is £203.94 [inc. VAT].

The cost of the item includes postage and packing to the UK mainland.  For overseas postage, normal charges will apply (see Buyer's Notes). 

nmckintsugi wishes to give special thanks to the following for their generous contribution: Gold Leaf Supplies for 2gms of gold; Kite Packaging for 60 boxes; Joe Hannaghan for the before and after photographs and videos.