PREVIOUS NEWS
Monday, December 24, 2001
Fellow Belleekers !! (lettre # 5.7)
** 'TWAS THE NITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS .. **
It's the season when radios keep you awake until three
in the morning playing "Silent Night".
- Donald R. Miller
As we all begin to reflect back over this past year's
events we will see a world filled with an enourmous
proliferation of strife and harmony, dissension and
agreement, turmoil and peace, heartbreak and happiness,
sorrow and joy, and death and rebirth !! Seemingly, as
mankind strives to advance, improve and refine himself
thru newly discouvered innovations in faith and science
he sometimes finds himself constrained within these walls
he himself has constructed !! Hopefully, though, year by
year, decade thru century, these advancements will
display and reflect greater positive influences than
negative !!
As this year draws to a close, I trust and pray that each
and everyone of you Belleekers, out there in Belleek Land,
have enjoyed, hopefully, a rather prosperous and joyful
year !! I would then like to extend my Best Wishes to
ALL of you for the upcoming Year !! May it find us ALL
in a more peaceful and harmonious World !!
I desire also to present a conflict with the 'stuffing'
of stockings with Belleek as it has the tendency to
become rather damaged !!
** SAY HEY LITTLE GIRL .. TAKE ME BY THE HAND ..
WALK ME DOWN THIS BOARDWALK ..
ONE LAST TIME AGAIN .. **
YES, this is it !! The GREATEST Antique Fair held
yearly anywhere in the (known) world !! I'm referring,
of course, to the spectacular show scheduled for
Atlantic City, New Jersey, March 23rd. and 24th., 2002 !!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW !! You don't want to miss this
one !!
The producers are currently advertising dealers from
41 States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Continent
as well as Asia !! A GARGANTUAN 10½ ACRES of ROW
following ROW of Dealers and their Wares !!
There is ALWAYS something for EVERY Collector's taste
and pocketbook !!
An added feature this year is that of a Computographic
Locator !! This service, simply put, is an On-Line
Computerized Facility to provide us attendees with the
display location of our favourite Dealers and Collecting
Passions and Manias !! I'll be on the lookout for items
P110, P143 and P320 !! Hint : P110 is Belleek !!
There's just an OVERWELMING amount of information to
include in it's entirety, so PLEASE try the following :
COMPLETE Atlantique City Fair Information !!
If the above HYPERLINK doesn't work, COPY/PASTE the
following into your Browser :
http://www.atlantiquecity.com
Or call 1.800.526.2724 for your FREE Courtesy Pack and
additional information !!
HINT : Since 'major' airlines DO NOT seem to service
Atlantic City, I found that flying into Philadelphia
works GREAT !! From Philly, there's buses or, my
preference, a Limo to pick you up and deposit you
directly at your hotels doorstep !!
** THE LOBSTER EXPERIENCE !! **
Lobsters are found in waters ALL over the world !! They
range in weight from ONE to THIRTY Pounds !! Unbeknownst
to me, lobsters are actually 'classified' by their weight ??
The commercial grading is : "Chicken", 1 Pound; "Quarters",
Under 1½ Pounds; "Large", 1½ to 2½ Pounds; and "Jumbo",
over 2½ Pounds !! This seems to me to allow an AWFUL lot
of discretion in the seller's being capable of categorizing
ALL their Lobsters as "Jumbo" ??
Unfortunately, I believe that Belleek has a "Chicken" ??
The poor little guy is just NOT ready to be boiled alive
and served up for anyone's dinner !! I definitely feel
that one could do MUCH better experiencing this delicacy
by dining out at a fine restaurant and possibly
considering the addition of a delicate wine and tender
filet to complement the lobster ??
In any case, this sculpture from Belleek is unique in
several manners !! First, the size of the shell
supported by the lobster's back is MUCH too large
for a 'salt' unless you would appreciate like maybe
TWENTY TABLESPOONS worth ??
Could it possibly have been molded as a Butter Dish ??
For example, in use with melted butter to accompany
your lobster and feast ??
On the reverse side of the LARGE Shell, there exists a
couple of Coral Branches and several smaller shells all
of which, additively, combine to fashion a VERY
endearing and demonstrative work of art !!
Lastly, this particular 'shade' of ORANGE Body Colour
is quite unique for Belleek !! The Pottery DID do VERY
FEW Tea Ware Items with a 'slight' orange tint, BUT
VERY RARE !!
More 'burnt' oranges are known to exist on other items
such as a figural's hair and a vase's base, the best
known here would be the Double or Triple Fish Vase
where BOTH Salamanders and Butterflies have some
traces of orange !!
Tea Ware wise, orange of course has been utilized
on many of the 'custom' handpainted Tea Sets and
individual decorative plates !! From a 'production'
Tea Ware use, orange colouring usually found it's
way onto the more 'rare' and unusual sets, those to
include Ring Handle Ivory, Celtic, Echinus and Thorn !!
I have also, personally, observed it tinting Neptune,
Tridacna and Limpet Items !! AGAIN, though, ALL of
these are quite difficult to obtain !!
Of course, some of Belleek's Basket Flowering is also
done in a splendid pastel orange AT LIMITED TIMES and
as appropriate to the flower's natural colouring !!
I personally have a Belleek Bone China Ring Handle
Cup and Saucer which is marked with a First Period
Mark ALMOST identical in this 'BOLD' orange !!
Actually, this newslettre was to include a discussion
regarding the use of the 'Black Light' and techniques
utilizing these to detect flaws and repairs to
porcelain and glass !! OH, Well, something for
the New Year !!
The Lobster (LIFE SIZE) !!
'Ready for the Pot' !!
Belleekingly,
Del E. Domke, Belleek Consultant
16142 N.E. 15th. Street
Bellevue, WA 98008-2711
U.S.A.
Telephone : 1 (425) 746-6363
Message : 1 (425) 746-6363
FAX : 1 (425) 746-6363
E-mail : delyicious@comcast.net
Web-site : The Beauty and Romance of Irish Belleek (or) :
http://delyicious.magix.net/public/index.html