Make-Do’s

“Make-do’s” are a special type of collectible. When a plate or tool broke in earlier centuries, it was often impossible to buy an exact replacement. So the broken spout on a teapot from a set of imported dishes might be replaced by a handmade metal spout. Or if the top of a goblet broke off, the stem could be given a new top, perhaps one that originally held a candle. The Chronicle, a publication of the Early American Industries Association, has published an article on a collection of make-do’s made using shovel handles. The shovel handles were transformed into handles for a rake, potato masher, vegetable chopper, scorp (woodworking tool), bale hook and other kinds of shovels.