PREVIOUS NEWS
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Belleek Newslettre (# 9.2)
** IN LOVING MEMORY **
A short time ago, I begin receiving the sad news
of Mrs. Beatrice McElroy's demise.
As for myself, I've always heard wonderful parables,
from Belleekers around the globe, attesting to
Beatrice's generosity and hospitality to visitors
of Ireland, especially towards all of us Belleekers.
I, for one, was privileged to view parts of her,
and her daughter Olga's, magnificent Belleek
Collection during the Pottery Tour of 1997. This
was all following a sit down dinner for
approximately 75 of us on the tour.
For her kindness and conviction, she will be forever
remembered in the Belleek world.
Other than this, I've VERY little information at
present, but upon inquiry, I received the following
information from another Belleeker friend, David :
"Hello Del.
"I'm a bit short on information at present,
apparently Mrs M died during late May. As Chris
and I, along with some other UK collectors are
going over for the auction, I'll get some
information together and send you a 'report'.
"Certainly some of the pictures (ed. Auction Site)
were taken in Olga's house, but that is called
Glenross Lodge, so I'm expecting the sale to be
in the McElroy home (ed. Duross Lodge) on the
lake shore.
"I'll email again after the sale.
"Best wishes.
David"
Her extensive Belleek Collection and Estate is
scheduled for auction on 2 July, 2005.
The Estate Auction may be previewed at :
http://www.viewbackantiquesauctions.com/
** DON'T FORGET !!
For those of you who missed this information from my
Previous Newsletter !! I'm NOW Cable Ready, HIGH
Speed Internet AND Wireless !! This necessitates
several VERY important modifications for those of
you whom wish to maintain contact with me, as you
will note, BOTH my Telephone and E-mail ID have
CHANGED !!
My NEW Telephone is (OLD FAX Line) : 1.425.746.6363
that's 1.425.PHONEME !!
And, my E-mail ID is delyicious@comcast.net !!
I have NO idea whether or not it was out of respect
or admiration or just plain lack of interest, BUT I
thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Comcast had
{delyicious} available for me !! I'm JUST getting
TOO old to modify everything over nite !!
So, PLEASE take a moment and Update your PhoneBooks
with my new contact information !!
** MICHIGAN IS ALIVE
IN 2005 !! **
The Great Lakes Chapter is inviting ALL Belleekers
to meet them in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They will
be hosting the Belleek Collectors' International
Convention September 8, 9 and 10 at the Crowne Plaza
Hotel. It is 5 minutes from the Gerald Ford Airport
that has connections to the major airline hubs.
Registration forms were inserted in your latest
copy of the B.C.I.S. Newsletter !! If you have NOT
as yet received one, PLEASE contact our Convention
Coordinator Phyllis via E-mail at :
phyllisbagnall@msn.com
** ADDITIONAL CONVENTION INFORMATION !!
My name is Bill Lynch, and my daughter owns Lynch's
Lair, an Irish/Celtic Gift Shop in Grand Rapids,
Michigan. We are very excited about the Belleek
Collector's International Society's 2005 Convention
being held in our city. So much so, we have added a
special page to our website for the Great Lakes
Chapter to help promote the Convention to BCIS Members.
We would appreciate it if you could help get the word
out in your newsletter about this page dedicated to
the convention. It can be found at :
http://www.lynchslair.com
by clicking on the BCIS Logo on the left hand side,
about half way down. You can also link it from this
picture if you would like .. ..
Actual URL (i.e., Web Site) :
http://mysite.verizon.net/resojwaz/lynchslairgiftshop/id20.html
** CONVENTION RECIPES !! **
The Great Lakes Chapter would like to put a cookbook
together and have it ready for the 2005 Convention
in Grand Rapids, MI. !! If anyone in your Chapter
would like to submit a yummy dessert recipe worthy
of serving on or in pieces of Belleek, please have
them submit them to Phyllis as soon as possible !!
And if they have a picture of the dessert, even better.
Send that along also !!
The recipes can be sent to :
Phyllis Bagnall
10295 Carriage Way
Davison, MI 48423
or they may be E-mailed to :
phyllisbagnall@msn.com !!
Don't hold back on us. Send us your very best to
ooohhh and aaaahhh over and be included in this
unique book !! Be sure to include your name,
address, phone no., email address and where your
recipe came from or a story about it !!
** ROUNDABOUTS !! **
During my latest tour of the British Isles, in 1997,
and my holidays their as a child, I was ALWAYS
fascinated with the concept of the Roundabout !!
The Roundabout or Traffic Circle, as it is sometimes
referred to, is defined in the dictionary as :
"A road junction at which traffic streams circularly
around a central island. Synonyms : traffic circle,
circle, rotary."
The Wikipedia (Reference Dictionary) defines a
Roundabout thus :
"A roundabout, rotary, or gyratory circus is a type
of road junction (or traffic calming device) at which,
traffic streams circularly around a central island
after first yielding to the circulating traffic.
In the United States it is technically called a
'modern roundabout', to emphasize the distinction
from the older, larger sort of traffic circle.
Roundabouts are statistically safer than both traffic
circles and traditional intersections, though they do
not cope as well with the traffic on motorways or
similar fast roads."
Historically, we discouver that William Phelps Eno
is considered to be the "Father of Traffic Safety."
He supposedly originated stop signs, one-way streets,
taxi stands, pedestrian safety islands and traffic
rotaries, i.e., roundabouts. What is not known is
that he never learned to drive and he considered
cars to be a passing fad.
For additional Fathers and Mothers of 'THINGS', you
may discouver some interesting facts at the following
Link :
http://www.answers.com/topic/
list-of-people-known-as-the-father-or-mother-of-something
** THE BELLEEK IMPOSTER 'EXPOSED' !!
I ESPECIALLY enjoy research articles, from other
Belleekers, as these simplify my life (QUITE A BIT) !!
And, AS ALWAYS, I encourage any of my readers out
there to submit ANY independent or original research
they have accomplished regarding Belleek or any
related subject such that I may share it with our
Belleek neighborhood !!
This issue, I AGAIN have the privilege to quote
directly from years of research completed by another
wonderful Belleeker, Tom :
"As an avid Belleek collector for many years , I have
run across this Neptune-like little creamer on E-Bay
and in antique and collectible shows.
This is the MOST 'Common'
Imposter we see on E-Bay !!
"Often it is described as 'Belleek' or 'Belleek-Like'.
Many times it's called 'Belleek?' After checking all
the Belleek source materials and determining that this
was not Belleek I vowed to find out the maker.
"Most of the pieces I found for sale were unmarked
except for an impressed four digit number on the
bottom. I believe this to be the mold mark. So in
my quest I decided to buy a few of these.
"One had the 'cob' finish, another had the pink
handle, and a few had resort or vacation spot names
such as 'Atlantic City'. But all of these were
unmarked except for the four digit number '7573'.
I thought this might be American Belleek and checked
my Ott & Brewer and Willets resources and found
similar but not quite this shell pattern and no
incised numbers.
"I then saw and purchased a 'Neptune-like' teacup
with the # 7360 on the bottom and shamrocks painted
on the side. At the same time I also bought a teapot
with painted shamrocks in this shell pattern marked
'7366' and 'Foreign'.
This Tea Pot REALLY Resembles Our Belleek ??
"On another trip to Sturbridge Antiques I found a
similar sugar (#7390) and small creamer (# 7389).
Both had the Belleek-like pink coral handles. At
the Farmington Antiques show I found the answer…
A cup & saucer (#7360) with a crested mark topped
with a crown and 'Germany' below. Within the crest
was an overlapping capitol 'G' and 'H'.
 |  |
Tom's Cup and Saucer and Their Mark !!
A check with my trusted Rontgen book of marks
yielded the Galluba and Hofmann company from Ilmenau,
Thuringia, Germany (E. Germany). So that identified
the cup & saucer and related it to the creamer
through the four-digit impressed mold numbers.
"I still needed a marked creamer to satisfy my quest
and alas on E-Bay my search was over. I found the
creamer with the G&H mark and 'Germany' on the bottom.
Needless to say I bought the little Belleek Imposter
just to have for my collection.
A REALLY Cute Little Couvered Cream !!
"There's not much out there about Galluba & Hofmann.
The company was known for it's Victorian 'Snow Babies,'
'Naughty Nudies,' porcelain doll heads and half-dolls,
and assorted tableware. The company was in business
from 1888 to 1937.
"So I've come to like this little imposter and have
collected a few more pieces. There's really not
anything written about G&H tablewares so maybe
I'll continue searching to see what else they made
in this Belleek-Like Neptune pattern.
"Stay tuned.. .."
Editor's Note : I'm SURE that Tom would REALLY
appreciate any correspondence with other Belleekers
that have taken a 'fancy' to this G & H Ware or may
have additional information for ALL of us !! He
may be contacted directly at :
tareyyy@comcast.net
ENJOY !!
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