PREVIOUS NEWS

** UPCOMING CONVENTION NEWS !!

** FINALLY, LOTS of NEWS !!

The Windy City Chapter is very excited to host the next
convention and is very busy with the plans !!

Chicago lost the Olympic bid but we DID gained the next
BCIS convention !!  Please join us for a fun filled convention
where we talk about, shop for, auction off , and share
information regarding our favorite obsession, BELLEEK !!



SO, SAVE THE DATE FOR BCIS 2011 CONVENTION -
     CHICAGO, 15th thru 18th SEPTEMBER, 2011 !!

For COMPLETE information, please Click the following Link
to obtain Printable Forms for your Registration !!

Complete 2011 Chicago Convention Information and Forms !!

Remember, transportation and lodging is in the current
headset of INCREASING rates as space becomes a
premium !! So, book AS EARLY as you can to keep your
rates reasonable !!

Remember, most honest carriers will offer you a matching
rate, if your reservation drops in price !! Discuss this event
with them !!

BE SURE TO FORWARD THESE DATES AND ASSOCIATED
CONVENTION INFORMATION TO ALL YOUR BELLEEKER
FRIENDS !!

AUCTION RESULTS !!    

** ADVANCED BELLEEK AUCTION !!

Please Click on the following Link(s) to Scan thru the
results of the Belhorn Auction !!  BOTH Files ARE in a
.PDF (Print Definition File) Format and therefore may
be Printed in part or their entirity !!

The Web Site below, is a list of all 672 Lots, in order,
including a 'Thumbnail' picture of the Auction Item, a
'brief' description of the Lot, and the final hammer price !!

            Belleek Auction Results Listing

PLEASE note, that if you desire to Print the entire List
of Results, this will require approximately 54 pages !!
Of course, this TOTALLY depends upon your 'page length' !!

The Web Site below, is again a list of all 672 Lots, this
time though, the ENTIRE Conditional Report is provided !!

             Full Detailed Condition Listing

As with the first Listing, this one is MASSIVE, requiring
approximately 56 pages !!

REMEMBER, BOTH these Files are 'massive' so give your
poor little Computer ample time to Down-Load them !!

PLEASE be sure to FORWARD this Newslettre to ALL your
Belleeker friends and other interested collectors alike, such
that they may discouver for themselves prices for any
particular items they may have had their eyes on !!

** BEAUTIFUL CROUCHING VENUS !!

Belleeker/Dealer Nanci has contacted me with the
following :

"A friend of mine has a Crouching Venus to sell. It's perfect,
2nd black mark, and $5000 (with possible wiggle room for
negotiation). Maybe you could put out the word in case anyone
is looking for it?"

"Thanks, Nanci"

If you're possibly interested, PLEASE contact Nanci directly at :

      Telephone :  1.203.389.5440
      E-mail :      chivas1nh@comcast.net

** MORE BELLEEK FOR SALE !!

An interesting little, about 200 items, collection of Belleek
is currently for sale !! Many of the items are ‘new’, BUT
REMEMBER, that the 6th Period begins in 1965 and ended
in 1980 !! Even these items are THIRTY to FORTY FIVE
years old now !! All items may be viewed at the following Site :

    http://www.urbansake.com/belleek/

With some important holidays nearing, this would be an
appropriate time to introduce another generation to the
marvels of our truly romantic Irish Belleek !! Or consider
purchasing yourself another indulgence !!

** Bunnies & Snakes !!

A blind rabbit and a blind snake meet each other. Neither
one remembers what kind of animal they are, so they decide
to feel each other.

The rabbit says, "You feel me first." The snake says okay,
and he starts feeling the rabbit.

He says, "Well, you have fur all over, and a little cotton
tail, and two long ears, and big back feet..."

The rabbit says, "I know! I'm a rabbit! Yippee!" Then the
rabbit feels the snake. He says, "Okay, you're long and
thin, and slimy all over, and there's a little forked
tongue..."

The snake says, "Oh no, I'm a lawyer."

** HAWKERS !!

From West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2.
Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

We discouver the legal definition of a Hawker (Peddler) as :

"A hawker is an individual who sells wares by carrying
them through the streets. The person's ordinary
methods of attracting attention include addressing the
public, using placards, labels, and signs, or displaying
merchandise in a public place. A peddler is defined as
a retail dealer who brings goods from place to place,
exhibiting them for sale. The terms are frequently
defined in state statutes or city ordinances and are
often used interchangeably.

"An individual is ordinarily considered to be a peddler
in the legal sense if he or she does not have a fixed
place of conducting business, but regularly carries
the goods for sale with himself or herself. The wares
must be offered for immediate sale and delivery and
must be sold to customers as opposed to dealers who
sell such wares. The goods may be bartered rather
than sold for cash.

"A single act of selling is generally insufficient to
make the salesperson a peddler. Such individual must
be engaged in this type of selling as a regular
occupation or business, although it need not be the
person's sole or main business. In addition, the
individual, in order to be considered a hawker or
peddler, need not earn sufficient funds for support
from the business, nor does the business need to
gain a profit in order for the individual to be
considered a hawker or peddler.

"The business of peddling has traditionally been
distinguished from the service delivery of perishable
goods, such as eggs, milk, or bakery products. An
individual who delivers this type of perishable goods
to regular customers is not considered a peddler.
When, however, an individual travels from house to
house, and sells goods to different persons in small
quantities, the person is a peddler, even though he
or she might make daily sales to somewhat regular
customers. For example, a person who sharpens
knives or an ice cream truck driver might fall into
this category.

"The individual who actually engages in the
solicitation, makes the sale, and delivers the
goods is the peddler, irrespective of whether
the person owns the goods or is an agent or
employee of the owner. An agent who sells his
or her principal's merchandise can be considered
a peddler; however, a principal who does not make
sales calls or deliver merchandise is not. Ordinarily,
an individual who merely solicits orders or sells by
sample but does not deliver the goods sold is not
considered a peddler.

"Municipalities are permitted to set forth reasonable
regulations concerning hawking and peddling within
their borders. It may be required for such
salespeople to obtain licenses; however,
municipalities cannot prohibit the business
through the requirement of an excessive fee.

"In situations where a license is required, a peddler
or hawker must obtain it prior to the time when he
or she begins to sell wares and it must be issued to
the individual who is actually engaged in the peddling.
It is not transferrable. In order for an applicant
to obtain a license, the person must establish
certain facts, such as acceptable moral character.
Some statutes and ordinances require a person
seeking a license to take a prescribed oath, give a
bond, or deposit a particular amount of money.

"Licensing statutes and ordinances often exempt
certain individuals from their requirements; persons
within the exempt classes need not obtain licenses.
Such exemptions include persons selling goods or
articles they have made themselves, honorably
discharged or disabled veterans, poor or generally
disabled persons, and clergy. The exemption is
personal and cannot be extended to agents or
employees of the licensed person."

WOW !!  What a complex definition !!

In any case, the Belleek Pottery begin Producton
of this SPLENDID pair of figurals, during their
1^st. Period and continued on, quite voluminously,
in my personal opinion, throughout their 2^nd.
Period !!  During these periods, the Hawkers were
produced in varying form of decoration, including
just 'plain' or unpainted glazed Parian, through
a series of 'partially' decorated, i.e., painted
couples, up to FULLY decorated examples as seen
below !!

I utilize the phrase 'voluminously', as it appears
that just about every Collector I'm familiar with
has a pair (or more) in their cabinets !!

As I can't discouver ANY photographs or mention
of them in my circa 1936 catalogue, nor in the
published c1949 catalogue, I am assuming that
production ceased toward the end of the 2^nd.
Period ??  OF COURSE, as soon as I publish this
Newslettre, I'll be 'flooded' with observations of
3^rd. and 4^th. Period Samples !!

It should be noted that Belleek Re-Introduced this
cute pair of figures early on during their 7^th. or
Gold Period !!  Specifically, the Pottery announced
their new production in the BCIS Newsletter,
Volume 4, Number 2, 1982 !!  I believe they were
Revived as Commemorative Items for inclusion in
the Pottery's 125^th. Anniversary Collection !!

The Belgian Hawkers remained in Production thru,
at least, 1993, i.e., the 8^th. Period, as they are
listed in the Pottery Catalogue of 1993 !!

Unfortunately, they 'disappeared' by the time of
the 2^nd. Millennium, as they were dropped from
the Year 2000 Catalogue !!

I believe it's fairly comprehensive to understand
the Pottery's facination in this wonderful pair of
little figurals !!  I would surmise that, during the
Victorian Era, upwards of a dozen or so hawkers,
etc., would potentially visit Belleek on a daily basis
to barter their services and wares !!

In theory, a few of these hawkers travelled North
from their 'home' grounds in search of new found
customers and territories !!  As far South as you
might be expected to migrate from could possibly
be a town like West Beach Qweenstown in the FAR
South of the Republic ??  In ANY case, we have to
expect that these hawkers moved about frequently !!



                Here's a BEAUTIFULLY hand decorated
                      pastel coloured photograph of
                   West Beach Queenstown Co. Cork,
                 c1906 (from reminants of postmark) !!

Again, I speculate, that with all these hawkers and
peddlers travelling about, that at SOME point one, or
more of them may, during bartering their wares with
one of Irelands affluent land owners, have been asked
whether a possibility existed of obtaining a few precious
items from the Belleek Pottery ??

Thus, it seems entirely resonable, that one of these
hawkers may just have recorded an order, similar to
the one displayed on the Post Card below for one or
more of their prosperous customers !!



                ACTUAL Post Card, Addressed ONLY to :
                        Manager Belleek Pottery,
                        Fermangh (sp), Ireland !!

I've attempted to decipher the actual order as :
        Sir, Please {??}
        to order the following
        6 Only [original 1 dz scratched out]
                  Tall Shamrock {cups ??}
        6 Only w(ith) Saucers at 8/
        1 Dz Creams
        1 Dz Sugars
        abe {purchaser's name ??}
        {unknown, possibly Company ??}

In ANY case, these hawkers were quite prevalent
in their roamings around the countryside during this
time frame !!  It is only acceptible to assume that at
some period one or more of them visited the Belleek
Pottery Site, to possibly barter some tools to their
infamous Basket Makers, etc. !!  It is only speculation
that one or more of the Pottery employees recognized
the hawkers place in history and proceeded to
immortalize them and their lifestyles in Parian !!      



                An ABSOLUTELY SPLENDIDLY Decorated
                  Pair of Belgian Hawkers (2^nd. Period) !!