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Sunday, March 4, 2007

Belleek Newslettre (# 11.1)

** SALE !! SALE !! **

I’ve just finished chatting with Berdell’s nephew and
he has informed me that he’s offering ALL remaining
Belleek in Berdell’s collection according to the
following FANTISTIC sale terms !!  This sale will
begin officially on March 10, 2007, but you should
begin looking now so not to miss out on that special
bargain !! Everything must go !!

All remaining Belleek items in Berdell Dickinson’s
collection are on sale and they won’t last long !!
This is a rare opportunity for you to purchase these
outstanding items at a savings of up to 25% !!  Please
visit the  Dickinson Belleek web site for details at :

     Berdell Dickinson Auction !!

We are altering our web site to include a “Spring Sale” !!
The discounts will be as follows :

“Total purchase price : Up to $499 5% discount
                        $500 to $999 10% discount
                      $1,000 to 2,499 15% discount
                      $2,500 to $4,999 20% discount
                      $5,000 or more 25% discount

These discounts are subject to all other terms stated
on our web site.”

REMEMBER, this is a SALE, NOT an Auction !! It will be
STRICKLY ‘first come, first serve’ !!

There were approximately 240 Lots, offering something
for everyone !! Many items have been SOLD, BUT if you
see a Lot that’s ‘PENDING’ you may still indicate a
desire to purchase it and you will be put on a first-come
offer list for that Lot(s) !!

PLEASE, FORWARD (FWD) this E-mail to ALL your Belleeker
friends and associates so EVERYONE has an opportunity
to participate in this marvelous sale !! THANKS !!

** 2007 CONVENTION !!

Since the deadline for registration was March 1, 2007,
if you’ve procrastinated this long, you will have to
plea with the convention organizers to find a spot
for you !!

I won't repeat ALL the splendid information here, from
the original convention information in your B.C.I.S.
Newsletter, BUT I will add a Link where you will discouver
identical information as well as a Link regarding a
POST-Convention Tour of Ireland !!

For additional Registration Forms or Convention
Itinerary Information please visit the following Site :

http://delyicious.magix.net/public/2007_conv_itenery.html

HAPPY BELLEEKING and see you all at the Pottery this
Spring !!

** SOTHEBY'S IRISH SALE !!

Well, it's that time of year again and Sotheby's is
sponsoring their yearly Irish Sale !!  This year's
date is May 9, 2007, at their London, New Bond Street
address !!  A direct link to their auctions is :

http://www.sothebys.com

The Irish Sale is Auction LO7120 (that's LO as in
LOndon !!) They're having previews at several locations
around Ireland and England, which, you will also
discouver at their Auction Site !!  

I've NOT seen any Belleek included at this year's event,
as yet, but they're still inviting consignments !!

SO, if you'll be hanging around Ireland and England
either prior to or following our Convention, you might
wish to bookmark this spectacular event !!

** I JUST COULDN’T HELP IT ??

An American tourist was visiting a small village in
Ireland when there was a sudden gust of wind which blew
his hat off into the middle of a nearby pond.

Walking over to a village lad, who was sitting beside the
pond, the tourist asked "Say, son, how deep is this pond?"

"Oh, only a few inches," replied the young man.

After taking his shoes off and rolling his trousers up
over his knees, the tourist stepped into the pond to
retrieve his hat and, within a few seconds, was completely
submerged in the water.  Swimming out to the middle of the
pond he finally reached his hat, and then struggled back
to edge.

Climbing out, he turned to the village lad and screamed,
"Hey you, I thought you said that pond was only a few
inches deep!"

"Well," shrugged the young man, "the water only comes
half way up that duck over there."

** WHAT YOU MISS MOST ??

The Seattle Seahawks, our representatives in the
National Football League (NFL), were playing a late
season Thursday nite match when an atrocious wind
storm begin !! Almost immediately following the game
electricity was lost to greater than 700,000 homes
and businesses in the area !! Personally, I TRULY
believe, it was the team’s coach that ordered our
power company to cut the electricity because he’s
SUCH A POOR LOSER ??

In any case, my firewood person had NOT delivered this
winters cord of wood and I was burning up my cardboard
boxes to provide heat !! Running out of these, I was
left to wander about aimlessly for 2 more days, finally
awakening on the morning of the 4th day to sounds of
heaters coming to life and several lights glowing !!
I immediately glanced at my thermometer and it was a
snug 38° !! That’s ONLY 4°’s above my refrigerator
setting !!

In any case, as soon as my power failed, I knew that
I required a prompt plan of action !! So, thinking
acutely, I formulated a bona fide strategy !! Simply
put, I scrounged about for articles that I wouldn’t be
repulsed at consuming, well, honestly, COLD !! So, I
gathered my nourishment and bundled it on my stove top !!
Of course, the wine would be delectable on its own merit !!

In any case, at my first pains of hunger, utilizing my
flashlight, I went to my kitchen AND THEN MY ABSENCE
OF INGINUITY STRUCT ME !! Of course, NO electricity
means NO electric appliances, like a can opener !!
Luckily,  I DO have an ancient manually operated one !!

To make a long story short, I realized, following the
first day of eternal darkness and boredom, that my can
opener is actually RE-Chargeable !! I think it was in
the wine ??

** GOOD MEDICINE !!

A man goes to the doctor with a swollen leg. After a
careful examination, the doctor gives the man a pill
big enough to choke a horse.

"I'll be right back with some water," the doctor
tells him.

The doctor has been gone a while and the man loses
patience. He hobbles out to the drinking fountain,
forces the pill down his throat and gobbles down water
until the pill clears his throat. He hobbles back into
the examining room.

The doctor comes back with a bucket of warm water. "Ok,
after the tablet dissolves, soak that leg for at least
30 minutes."

** BUSHMILLS WHISKEY BARRELS !!

I would have loved to present a brief history of
Bushmills Whiskey here, BUT honoring their Site’s
Copyright, I’ll provide a direct Link to them, such
that those of you interested may enjoy their history
directly :

http://www.bushmills.com/

SO, why my fascination with Belleek and Bushmills and
what possible connection might we discouver exists ??
The Bushmills distillery is located in County Antrim,
the Northeastern County of Northern Ireland !! As with
the Belleek Pottery, it has observed prosperous as well
as impoverished periods in its distinguished history !!

And, if you’ve examined my previous Newslettres regarding
Belleek miniatures, or visited my Belleek Wanted Web Page,
you would have discouvered that one of the items I was
desperately searching out was of a miniature that Belleek
produced, only in its 2nd Period as I can determine, in
the shape of a small barrel !!

As reference, Sotheby’s May 21, 1999 Irish Auction
Lot # 185 mentions this particular miniature and titles
it a Matchpot !! As with my example, it also exhibits
the Crest of the City of Dublin, although, the gowns of
the ladies are in reddish orange !!

SO, when exactly does Bushmills participate with Belleek ??
During Belleek’s Gold or 7th. Period, at least for a short
while, Belleek produced an item exclusively for the Old
Bushmills Distillery !! This was, in fact, the miniature
Barrel or Matchpot, as you prefer !! There were two minor
differences though !! The first was that the front of the
barrel was smoothed and flattened, in my opinion, to more
easily facilitate the application of a decal !! Secondly,
the top of the barrel was ‘removed’, resulting in a
simpler design and possibly more appropriate to the item’s
destined use !!

If I were to speculate, which, those of you whom know
me, know I love to do, I would have to say that this NEW
design was an enhancement by the Pottery’s Chief Designer
Fergus, to meet the particular requirements for Bushmills ??
It would also lend the molding process to a three part
mold as opposed to what must have been a 4 piece mold in
the 2nd Period ?? Perhaps Fergus will clarify these
assumptions for us ??

In any case, for at least couple of years during Belleek’s
Gold Years, Bushmills marketed this redesigned barrel as a
shot glass or measure, by distributing them accompanying
your purchase of a 5th or liter of Old Bushmills Whiskey !!
Or, this was the story told to me by everyone I could
discouver, including the chap on E-Bay, from whom I
finally purchased my 7th Period example !! He had NO
idea what Belleek was, he JUST drank the fine whiskey !!

I’m not sure whether any further shot glasses were
distributed into the 8th (Blue) Period, but they again
surface in during the 9th (Blue) Period with a bit
redesigned front decal !!

During the 11th (Blue) Period, Belleek produced another
exclusive for Bushmills, this item is a splendid little
Candle Votive !! If one isn’t into burning candles, this
item could easily be utilized as a cordial glass !!

From my knowledge, BOTH the Shot Glass and Votive were
ONLY available for purchase direct from the Old Bushmills
Distillery Outlet Store !!



    From the left, we see my set of three Old Bushmills Whiskey Barrels !!
        The leftmost is a 2nd Period piece (Note the Top Inset !!),
                the center is 7th (Gold) Period and
             on the right is a 9th (Blue) Period item !!