Bit of Irish - Belleek

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by Janet Werver

It’s a fine old Irish custom to appreciate the finer things in life, and nothing is finer in quality and craftsmanship than Belleek porcelain. Creamy in texture and a gossamer appearance, the translucent quality of Belleek is unsurpassed since its initial development in 1857, in Belleek, County Fermanagh, Ireland.

In a desperate attempt to save the Caldwell Castle, which had deteriorated during “The Great Famine,” the heir, John Caldwell Bloomfield, started a ceramics business in partnership with a London architect, Robert Williams Armstrong, and a Dublin merchant, David McBirney, all of which had an interest in ceramics. All the necessary ingredients were present on the estate – feldspar, Kaolin, flint, clay, shale, and peat. Early production was high-quality domestic ware including, pestles, mortars, washstands, hospital pans, floor tiles, telegraph insulators, and tableware made from earthenware. In less than a decade, in 1865, the business won its first gold medal for its earthenware at the Dublin International Exposition, but international acclaim could only be achieved through the medium of porcelain. Earthenware remained the principal product until 1920, but the line was completely converted to porcelain after World War II in 1946.

The material that becomes Belleek parian is called “slip” in its liquid state. It’s produced by mixing the various dry ingredients and water which pass through a series of fine sieves and magnets which remove any unground material and iron residue. Belleek’s famous translucent quality is chiefly determined by the amount of slip allowed to cling to the walls of the working mold before the excess is removed. It takes a minimum of nine process steps and fourteen days for a piece to be completed; additional time is required for porcelain baskets and floral pieces.

The distinctive pearl and cob lusters of Belleek pieces were acquired through the purchase of a patent from J.J.H. Brianchon, a French inventor. Unfortunately, lack of a written agreement of the partnership enabled McBirney’s son to force the sale of the business when his father died in 1882. Armstrong died just prior to the sale in ‘84, but fortunately the conditions of sale required that the business remain in production and in the same location.

The marks used by Belleek will help the collector determine the date of their precious possessions. The first marks (1863-1890) were most often black ink transfers, but red, blue, green or brown ink was occasionally used. The next two marks were black ink transfers, which then became green on the 3rd, 4th & 5th mark. Since 1980, various colors and changes have been made to the mark.

For a complete list of the marks, their dates and colors, go to www.drakehousegifts.com.

An excellent reference book which provides a pictorial inventory of the Belleek porcelain is “Belleek – The Complete Collector’s Guide & Illustrated Reference” by Richard K. Degenhardt.

Comments and questions on this article can be emailed to werner@wt.net.

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