spoilered text highlight after you've guessed

Is it just below the flag's tip - the slightly lighter patch? Either that, or along the top of the short wall on the right. OR, along the rampart?

Basically, without gazing intently with the knowledge I'm looking for a flaw, I don't think I'd have a clue.

And second:

i just looked at that pic for ages and couldn't see where the break was.
that's some damn fine work btw.

I cannot see your crack.

is it across the main picture?

Someone has made a right mess of that piece of wood ;)
(Joke, thats some fine art, m'boy and I couldn't see the crack)

Just to the left of the castle gate?

Although, if that is it, Iwould never have spotted it without looking. I think the right approach would be as you said, tell them what happened, tell them it's repaired and give them the option.

I'm one of these that tends to think that anything like this is a valid part of the work anyway. But, yeah, that doesn't really tranmslate to wood carving, admittedly.

Probably time for the spoiler.

No, it isn't the flaw to the left of the gate, Xen: that's just wood being cussed like it is.

I agree with what you say with regard to art, but I've always thought of my stuff as essentially craft-based, which is much more oriented around control of materials and notions of material perfection. I still think they'll probably be happy, because it is so very hard to see, it's a corporate client rather than an individual, and it's one of twelve.

I'm helped by the fact that it broke in extraordinarily unlikely way:

Thats a hell of a repair!

Cheers Daniel. It was only cos it was such a clean break.

Blimey.

Would never have guessed it was there. Top notch repair work on that.

If it's as invisible to the eye as it is in a photo, I'm not sure it's even necessary to tell them - with it being what it is, if it's not discernable, it's not really relevant to the use of the thing...

I would /never/ have spotted that, amazing.

Let your conscience be your guide...

:O)

Hi,

I don't believe you, you just drew that yellow line on at random didn't you :-)

Good job on the repair. Nice word on the original carving. Good to see someone
here has a bit of talent ;-)

Bruce

In the absence of a single shred of conscience, I'll be guided by good business sense. I'll send it to them unnanounced, then ring up & explain about the break. That way, they'll see it with the eyes of the punters who'll be visiting the castle, but they'll still have the option of asking for it to be recarved.

*you just drew that yellow line on at random didn't you*

<weeps>If only<weeps>

You cannot imagine the sheer horror of the moment I broke it. I was gluing the roundel into the hemisphere that holds it, and I simply squeezed it too tight. I already knew it was thin: I could see light through it if I held it up to a lamp.

I'm a dickhead, as I think I'm entitled to say.

'S why you're so popular with the ladies.

I could have looked at that all day and never found the repair. Beautiful thing, Manthorp.

Ta chuck.

How big is that carving?

The roundels themselves are about 4.5cm diameter. Pretty dinky.

Blimey.

I can't see a single flaw.

Damn fine work that man.