From: Gary Tefft / locustent@aol.com
Location: Menomonee Falls, WI
Date: 14 Oct 1998
Time: 22:08:45
Are you asking about an adhesive to mend your broken heart, or the jug? Time, mixed thoroughly with fading memory is the only known mucilage for the former. For repairing the jug, it depends upon the importance of the jug and your intentions. If the jug is of reletively low value (even before the damage), most collectors use common "super-glues". Depending on the size and shape of the pieces, this can be problematic, as there is no "give" to the joints and little time between total ack of support and total rigidity. It's also awfully nasty trying to get your fingers unstuck. (I speak from experiance, both with heart and jugs)
If the jug was actally a rare museum-quality piece, there are adhesives especially made for this purpose. They are purposely not as strong or quick setting as super-glues, so that there is less chance of the glueing creating a grater problem in the future when a better method might be invented and it is necessary to disassemble the piece to re-conserve it. (The First Rule of conservancy is to do nothing that is irreversible!) There was an excellant seminar presented at the RWCS Convention last summer by a professional conservator who does work for several museums. I'm sorry, but I don't have the hand-outs that she had, listing the materials and sources. If you are in or near a city with a large museum, you might call there and ask to speak to someone in charge of collections and preservation. They should be able to help you.
If the jug is not quite worth that much trouble, some kind of epoxy is probably the best compromise.
-Gary-