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Belleek Newslettre (# 17.3)

** HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!

I wish all Belleekers the most joyful of Holiday
Seasons and hopes for a peaceful and prosperous
New Year !!




              Here’s my little Holiday decorations including
              Scholar Lincoln’s first Birthday Present to me,
        my humble holiday tree (NO comparison to the Pottery’s)
          and the Belleek 'Child Looking in Mirror' Lithophane !!
  As we’ll learn, a Lithophane is BEST photographed in natural light !!

** THIS IS PUZZLING !!

A blonde girl decides to do a puzzle so she grabs the
puzzle and pours out all the pieces and tries to put it
together.

After a while of trying she gets frustrated and
calls her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend says, "Honey, what's wrong?"

The blonde says, "I'm trying to put this puzzle
together but I can't do it."

Her boyfriend says, "Well, look at the picture in the
front and tell me what it looks like."

The blonde says, "Okay... well the background is blue
and there is a tiger on it."

Her boyfriend says, "Honey, put the Frosted Flakes
back in the box."

Displayed above we see the front and reverse of our 2013 Honouree Medallion !!

Catalogue Description : THREE BELLEEK PORCELAIN CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS. Together with a Belleek porcelain oval shaped medal which reads 'Hall of Fame Honoree 1993 Lady Langham', bears Belleek red mark on back as well. Ornaments include a shamrock form with applied colored porcelain flowers, a cherub, and a stocking with painted shamrocks Largest ornament length: 5"

 
** DISPLAYING LITHOPHANES !!

FINALLY !! HOPEFULLY, this is what some, if not all
of you, have been looking forward to ??

In our first installment, I’ll simply be presenting a
brief overview of our intended purpose with a bit of
history regarding Lithophanes !!  The initial learned
item, is the proper spelling of Lithophane !!  From Dr.
Margaret Carney, Curator, Blair Museum of
Lithophanes, Toledo, Ohio, we discouver that the
spelling is indeed Lithophane as opposed to the
commonly used Lithopane !!  AND neither is in our
On-Line Spell Dictionary ??

This Lithophane Museum is a definite entry on my
‘Bucket List’ !! Her exhaustive work ‘Lithophanes’
(c2008) presents many of the, in excess of, 2,500
Lithophanes on display in the Museum !!

Upon studying her work, I was amazed to discouver
that Lithophanes were produced by essentially every
major pottery in Europe as well as many Oriental
manufacturers !! In fact, the Lithophanes produced
by Belleek, are ALL copies of those manufactured by
German Potteries !!

The following is a Copy of the single column allocated
to Irish Belleek Lithophanes in Dr. Carney’s
manuscript !! Although Belleek identified the
Cathedral as St. Patrick’s, since the original
Lithophane is of German production, this image is
most likely that of Cologne Cathedral !!





Lithophanes were utilized extensively, to include
hanging in windows as decorations for light diffusion
as a simple light charger, to more complex displays
ranging from candle and lamp shades, stain glass like
mountings and, from what I’ve learned lately, many
manufacturers produced cups and mugs with
Lithophanes in their base !!  I have limited space here,
but to visualize many of these magnificent displays,
simply enter the single word {Lithophane} as your
eBay Search criteria !!  Regardless of their use and
display, their beauty is only shown as light is allowed
to pass thru their reverse surface !!

Upon Belleek’s re-introduction of their original dozen
Lithophanes, several articles were published with
Belleekers expounding their success in mounting and
displaying their treasures !!  One, never published, to
my knowledge, was an idea of me MOM’s !!  She
collected like EVERYTHING and like many others,
NEVER discarded anything !! She was probably one of
the original hoarders ??

Regardless, her idea was to utilize an old clock case !!
Since many antique clocks are brought in for repair
and then found that a complete rebuild or
refurbishment of their works is either rather
impossible or too costly, their original works are
scrapped and attempts to fit new works sometimes
proceed !!  OR, again for the expense, the clock is
just rendered useless !!  What we see below is a
really nice example of an antique clock case, just
waiting for someone to discouver an interest in it
and hopefully attempt a restoration of its well-worn
body to include updated fittings for a resurrected
life !!


      

                A Clock Case with Many Fine Points !!

In future articles, I will be outlining the steps required
to complete a refurbish of the above clock casing, the
installation of a Belleek Lithophane in its door, and
including the electrical fittings for the proper
illumination !!  Our ultimate goal will be to transform
our abandoned clock case it into a beautiful and
useful display case for our Lithophane !!  The following
pictures are fine examples of what we are striving for !!


      

Although the cherry wood case above was designed
specifically for a Lithophane, it might have just as
well begun as an old discarded clock case !!


      

            Above, is a close-up of the illuminated case !!

This is a perfect example of my previous mention of
German Lithophanes !!  Although, this appears to be
one of Belleek’s Madonna, Child and Angel Lithophanes,
it is in fact of German manufacture as it is only 6
inches in diameter !!  If it was an original Belleek
Lithophane, it would be 9 inches in diameter !! 
Discarding any reference data, for example, a ruler,
both Lithophanes appear identical !!

.. .. TO BE CONTINUED !!

** CONFUSION REIGNS !!

With the Holidays upon us I would like to share a
personal experience with my friends about drinking
and driving.

As you may know some of us have been known to have
brushes with the authorities from time to time on the
way home after a "social session" out with friends.
Well, Christmas eve I was out for an evening with
some friends and we all shared some fine beer, wine
or cocktails that we fancy.

Feeling jolly I still had the sense to know that I may
be slightly over the limit.  That's when I did
something that I've never done before - I took
a cab home.

Sure enough on the way home there was a police road
block, but since it was a cab they waved it past. I
arrived home safely without incident.

This was a real surprise as I had never driven a cab
before, I don't know where I got it and now that it's
in my garage I don't know what to do with it.

Again, I Wish All Belleekers Extensive Enjoyment and
Happiness this New Year !!