Belleek Porcelain Demitasse Cup, Soft Pink Tridacna, Victorian 1891-1926

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Belleek Porcelain Demitasse Cup, Soft Pink Tridacna, Victorian 1891-1926

Name: Belleek Porcelain Demitasse Cup, Soft Pink Tridacna, Victorian 1891-1926
Brand: Belleek Pottery Ltd.
Rating: 5 (44 reviews)

$176List Priceper set

About the Item

This is a beautiful Belleek demitasse cup and saucer in the pink Tridacna design with the 2nd Black Mark, which was used between 1891 and 1926. This cup is tiny; it holds a single espresso. These demitasse cups are rare so this is a great opportunity - and this would make a perfect Valentine's Day gift! If you ever thought Belleek fine china looks, sounds and feels unique, you are right. There is a back story to this extraordinarily fine Irish eggshell porcelain, which has an unusually high amount of "frit" and therefore is thinner and finer than any other china. Pottery in Belleek (in the now Northern-Irish area of Fermanagh) had started in 1849 with John Caldwell Bloomfield, who was a wealthy land owner. During the Irish famine he realised that unless he would find a way for his tenants to make a profit off the land, they would starve. Agriculture had become impossible due to the agricultural diseases caused by mono culture at that time, and the political unrest in response to British colonial rule. This caused millions to starve and more millions to leave. As an amateur mineralogist, John Caldwell Bloomfield realised that his land had exactly the right mineral deposits to be used as clay for porcelain. He involved several investors and scientists and after many years of research, trial, error, the building of a railway line to import coal from England, and building a factory, the Belleek pottery resulted, employing the local people and soon producing the finest china made with clay from the Belleek area. What had started as a way to fend off famine among the local tenants had became a story of incredible success by the 1880s as Queen Victoria fell in love with the fine white china and the many homely, slightly bizarre but nature-loving designs; this was different from English tradition, yet it was very much to the taste of the British who had developed a real love for home-made fine china since it was introduced in the late 18th century. Soon the English nobility started to place big orders and the pottery is still flourishing today and selling its wares the world over, while in England most potteries have long disappeared. The Tridacna series is one of the very classic and popular designs Belleek has made and could be found in many Irish households. Many Belleek designs are inspired by nature rather than by fashion: there are sea shells, froth, seaweeds, tree roots and bark, corals and woven baskets. The Tridacna series is inspired by a beautiful ice pail that Belleek designed for the Prince of Wales. This ice pail rests on a shell called "tridacna", which is a saltwater clam that is common on the Irish coast. Each detail of this little demitasse cup is true to the concept; the surface is wonderfully fluted and the handle is made like coral. Condition Report: Both cup and saucer have no damage, crazing or repairs. The only tiny imperfection is that during glazing there are two little spots on the rim of the saucer that were missed out; this happened during production (see last picture). Antique porcelain is never perfect. Kilns were fired on coal in the 1800s and early 1900s, and this meant that china from that period can have some firing specks from flying particles. Makers were also known for their experimentation, and sometimes this resulted in technically imperfect results. Due to the shrinkage in the kiln, items can have small firing lines or develop crazing over time, which should not be seen as damage but as an imperfection of the maker's recipes, probably unknown at the time of making. Items have often been used for many years and can have normal signs of wear, and gilt can have signs of slight disintegration even if never handled. I will reflect any damage, repairs, obvious stress marks, crazing or heavy wear in the item description but some minor scratches, nicks, stains and gilt disintegration can be normal for vintage items and need to be taken into account. There is widespread confusion on the internet about the difference between chips and nicks, or hairlines and cracks. I will reflect any damage as truthfully as I can, i.e. a nick is a tiny bit of damage smaller than 1mm and a chip is something you can easily see with the eye; a glazing line is a break in the glazing only; hairline is extremely tight and/or superficial and not picked up by the finger; and a crack is obvious both to the eye and the finger. Dimensions: (diameters) cup 6cm (2.25"); saucer 11cm (4.25").

Creator:
Belleek Pottery Ltd. (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 1 in (2.54 cm)Width: 1 in (2.54 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Victorian (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Porcelain
Place of Origin:
Ireland, Northern
Period:
Late 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1891-1926
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. No damage, crazing or repairs, a tiny glaze fault on saucer.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: A-BEL02b1stDibs: LU4805117206241

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