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Feel free to contact me, Robert
Ruiz, with news related to antique, vintage, and current production
Irish Belleek so your news can be shared with other Belleek
collectors through this forum.
August 5, 2002
- I've found two sites with wonderful pieces
of antique and vintage Belleek I'd like to share with you: Roslyn
Rose Antiques (the Belleek
page is here and includes some marvelous pieces), and Cynthia
Findlay (click the Search icon and do a search for Belleek
once there) which has some wonderful products, but pricing is
astronomical to anyone accustomed to finding Belleek through
eBay—still, it's great fun to look. Enjoy.
August 3, 2002
- In addition to the revised and expanded section
on Belleek baskets that I'm working on "behind-the-scenes"
(which is why additions to the site in recent weeks have been
so few and far between), I'm also going to be doing a small
feature on Belleek restoration some time this winter. Click
here for a preview
of things to come. Featured here is a slightly damaged Belleek
Rathmore basket that didn't meet its reserve on eBay,
and that I was able to obtain for the reserve price of only
$799. I thought I was likely completely mad purchasing this
piece (what if it was awful and unfixable?) but risked it; and
to my surprise, when I took delivery today I found the damage
was slight and completely restorable using today's non-yellowing
adhesives and restoration methods (many of which come from the
world of dentistry) . See
the original eBay images here. The damage to this piece
is a small missing section of "lattice," both end
tips broken off of one of the handles on one side (on of the
pieces was shipped with the basket), and one "garland"-style
swag between the major flowers is missing—all completely
and invisibly restorable in this modern age, so I'm feeling
a bit like I won the lottery and like my restoration contacts
are correct when they assure me I got a great bargain in buying
this basket despite my initial hesitation. (Vintage and antique
Rathmore baskets typically sell at auction for $3,500
to $5,500 or so depending on condition, and new examples from
Belleek list for USD $7,000.)
- Every once in awhile you get a little note
of encouragement that keeps you going despite time constraints
in today's fast-paced world. This is one of them—thank
you Lynn and Michael:
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Robert:
We had the distinct pleasure of visiting
your Belleek site last night and were totally enthralled
by its truly astounding design and content. Absolutely amazing
and breathtaking!!!! Please be assured that we will be visiting
many more times, because you are definitely the nexus of
anything Belleek!
Many, many thanks!
Lynn & Michael Mauck
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July 28, 2002
- I've just had the most interesting e-mail from
Simon Whitlock who writes:
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Hello:
Just had a look at the web site. Interested
re the Echinus debate. I can confirm:
- Echinus was produced in the 3rd
black period, as I've owned a pink wash tea pot with
gilt detailing...along with coral base. This is
now owned by my sister-in-law, and is presently packed
away pending house move, so image not available.
- I have an example of 6th mark Echinus,
a cup with cobb lustre inside and on the handle, and with
the 6th green mark (1965 to 1981)—a well molded example.
- Also had an example of 5th green Echinus,
a side plate which was sold on eBay awhile back.
So, Echinus did turn up in most periods!
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- Simon also reports seeing examples of the
Echinus Footed Bowl
produced at the Belleek pottery as recently as two years ago,
and that "Patricia at the shop advised it was not going
into general production and maybe it was a special order/commission
that Fergus Cleary may know about. We then approached Fergus
Cleary who was not able to add anything other than to chat with
Patricia in the visitors centre. We were therefore unable to
find out anything other than it was a special order that year.
Frustrating as we wanted one!"
- This is a shame, as many people expressed an
interest in also finding an example of the Echinus Footed
Bowl when I added the page for it, and hopefully Belleek
will put it back into production soon, even if only for a limited
time.
July 22, 2002
- Belleek collectors take note, IrelandShoppe.com
is now offering substantial savings on its remaining (but limited)
stock of Belleek merchandise during its closeout inventory sale.
One area where current production Belleek really succeeds admirably
is with its line of Christmas tree ornaments, and happily there
is still a nice (though small) assortment available at the site—but
hurry by for best selection as these will not last long at these
prices.
July 20, 2002
- I received the following statement from Belleek's
Chairman yesterday via Charlotte Kauffman of the Belleek Collectors'
International Society. If this is the case, I applaud Mr. Moore
and Belleek for their efforts, and feel it's unfortunate that
the statement at the company's web site suggested (through unfortunate
wording) a scenario other than that which Mr. Moore has explained
as follows:
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Some of our Belleek Collectors
and supporters are under the mistaken impression that Belleek
Pottery is "profiteering" from the disaster of
9/11 through the sale of the Twin Towers Commemorative Plate.
This is based upon misinformation and misguided conjecture
and is unfortunate.
The Irish American Disaster
Relief Fund commissioned the Commemorative Plate from Belleek
Pottery; the Fund is retailing the Plate for US $95 and
they have committed $50.00 per plate to go directly to the
Fund for distribution with the balance going to the Fund's
administrative, sales and marketing, advertising, PR and
their product and packaging costs. The Fund has total and
sole control over the sales and marketing of the Plate.
The Fund has been greatly applauded for this effort in the
media and the Irish American Community at large. Belleek
Pottery offered assistance to the Fund in its efforts to
ensure that the Fund was a success.
Please refer to the website
of the Fund at http://www.irishamericanfund.org/index.htm
for the full details of this organization. This great organization
has voluntarily contributed thousands of hours to helping
the victims and those that have suffered.
We have all been impacted
by the tragedy of 9/11 and all of us have supported the
victims, their families, and the organizations and institutions
that continue to help. However, I take great exception to
the half-truths that are propagated about our company.
I am based in Washington
DC. A number of our friends lost family and friends to the
tragedy. My US companies donated over $100,000 worth of
services to the American Red Cross to assist their efforts;
we aided the intelligence community pro-bono, and Angela
and I personally assisted the Irish-oriented groups to assist
those who have suffered.
When I was at Ground Zero
last October, I purchased a $10 NYFD baseball cap for $50
from a young girl who was with an NYFD affiliated ad hoc
organization trying to raise money quickly to help; I did
not inquire as to their motivations; I trusted that the
money was in good hands. That baseball cap now sits proudly
in my office as one of those symbols that make America great.
As they say, "no good
deed goes unpunished". To those who have broadcast
emails which question the motives of Belleek Pottery and
the Irish American Disaster Relief Fund, I ask you to examine
your hearts and join with everyone who has been emotionally,
physically, and/or financially impacted by 9/11. To all
of our supporters, I thank you again and I ask that you
support the Fund if you have the means.
Thank you.
George G. Moore
Chairman
The Belleek Pottery Group
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July 13, 2002
- As a followup to the recent blurb about modified
Echinus
tea ware as illustrated in the 1975 catalog Brian Graham
reports : " I have seen the later Echinus tea ware
offered on eBay....The items I saw were cups and saucers and
a cream and sugar ...they were all 6th period (of course, well
before that 1975 catalog)! I did not see a kettle or teapot
...but the creamer and sugar looked more like the New Shell
pattern than Echinus; i.e. no coral at all [other
than the simplified handles] on either piece.
- Since this modified Echinus was apparently
in production at least briefly during the 1960s and possibly
the early 1970s, it's possible it was briefly reintroduced for
a short time only, much like the much loved and sought after
but brief reintroduction of the Mask pattern in the 1980s.
If anyone comes across a piece, please let us know.
July 7, 2002
- A page featuring Belleek's stunning Chinese
Tea Urn has been added to the Virtual
Belleek Museum.
- While on the subject of Belleek's Chinese
tea ware, between the two of us Belleek uber collector
Del Domke and I have discovered that the original
design of the Chinese Tea Ware pieces lost their
feet some time toward the end of the first period, even though
they still appear footed in the 1904 catalog a full 14 years
after the start of the second period. Like so many others, previously
we had believed that the only unfooted versions were the BCIS
reissue sets from 1990, however, at the suggestion of Del,
I looked through the Horace Manning Mann auction catalog from
1988 and discovered an unfooted
version of the Chinese Tea Ware tea pot with first period
mark (Lot 86, page 14) which suggests that Belleek's reissued
set from 1990 is authentically detailed after all.
- Look for a page featuring Belleek's reissued
BCIS Chinese Tea Ware tea set to be added to this site
in the fall. If anyone has an original antique set that they
would like featured in the museum, please contact me.
- Del has also confirmed that he's seen examples
of the Echinus
tea ware as illustrated in the 1975 catalog with the coral
bases omitted and with the simplified coral handles. All of
these examples, according to Del, were from the second period,
and he is not aware of Echinus tea ware being produced
after this other than a fifth mark example of an Echinus
egg cup in his collection. Brian Graham has also mentioned on
his site that an Echinus bowl was produced in recent
years and marketed filled with pot pourri; but despite the Echinus
pattern's inclusion in the 1975 catalog, Echinus tea
ware production seems to have ceased during the second period.
(If anyone knows otherwise, please contact me.) I've also just
received the following from Belleek expert and author Lady Marion
Langham: "Regarding the Echinus I have only seen
it made in 1st and 2nd period—more often in 1st period
than 2nd period. I can't ever remember seeing anything later—I
did ask around and no one else can remember later examples.
Regarding the modification,
I have seen kettles and teapots modified, but can't remember
seeing the cream and sugar."
- The page featuring Belleek's Shell
Biscuit Jar in the Virtual Belleek
Museum has been revised to document yet a third version
of the design in which the coral base has been omitted from
the essential first version shape (yet before the radical redesign
of the much simplified third version).
- Another online store selling Belleek has been
added to the Resources section.
Click here for Irish
Elegance.
As the News page was getting a
bit long and time consuming to load, I
have removed all pre-July news. At some point in the future
I will be restoring the highlights on a separate page.
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