✦ Antique Belleek Hand-Woven Porcelain Basket ✦ ✦ Black Mark Era — Circa 1921-1954 ✦ ✦ Approximately 70-100 Years Old ✦
A breathtaking antique Belleek basket from the pottery's celebrated Black Mark era, hand-woven in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. This is among Belleek's most labor-intensive and prestigious forms — a true heirloom piece that has survived nearly a century in extraordinary condition.
▸ DATING THE PIECE
This basket can be dated with confidence to circa 1921-1954 based on three converging pieces of evidence:
1. FOUR-STRAND BASE WEAVE. According to Belleek expert Fergus Gambon (Phillips auction house, London), Belleek transitioned from three-strand to four-strand base construction around 1920-1921. The four-strand weave on this basket places it firmly after that transition.
2. IMPRESSED PAD MARK reads "Belleek, Co. Fermanagh, Ireland." The inclusion of "Ireland" places it after 1891 (per the McKinley Tariff Act), and the mixed-case lettering format with comma-separated text matches pad marks documented in the Janice Gill Collection and Leslie Hindman Auctioneers archives for the 1921-1954 period.
3. NO ® REGISTERED TRADEMARK SYMBOL. Belleek added the ® symbol to its marks in 1955. The absence of ® on this piece confirms production before 1955. There is also no Celtic knot cartouche or "Deanta in Eireann" colored print mark.
▸ DETAILS
- Maker: Belleek Pottery, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland - Period: Late 2nd / 3rd / Early 4th Mark — Black Mark Era - Approximate Production Date: 1921-1954 - Age: 70-100 years - Mark: Impressed pad mark "Belleek, Co. Fermanagh, Ireland" - Construction: Four-strand woven base with twin sugared twig handles - Diameter: 9 inches (body) / 9.5 inches with handles - Weight: 11.1 oz - Material: Parian porcelain — hand-woven and hand-applied florals
▸ DECORATION
The rim is adorned with three-dimensional roses, rosebuds, leaves, and tiny shamrocks — each shaped petal by petal and applied individually by a single artisan. The twin twig handles are encrusted with porcelain "sugar" thorns, created by shaking ground porcelain onto a wet surface before the final firing. This is one of the most difficult finishes in all of European porcelain — and a hallmark of pre-war Belleek craftsmanship.
▸ CONDITION
Exceptional antique condition. No chips, cracks, hairlines, or restorations. All applied flowers, leaves, shamrocks, and the delicate twig handles are intact. To have survived nearly a century without damage is genuinely remarkable, given the extreme fragility of the openwork construction. Please review all photographs carefully as part of the description.
▸ ABOUT BELLEEK BASKETS
The basket form was pioneered by William Henshall at Belleek Pottery in the 1860s and remains the pottery's most prestigious creation. Each strand of porcelain is hand-rolled and woven while wet against a mold; the rim, feet, handles, and florals are applied afterward. The piece is then fired multiple times. Even today, only a small number of Belleek artisans are trained in this tradition. Black Mark era examples (pre-1955) in excellent condition are increasingly scarce on the antique market.
▸ A PIECE FOR
- Wedding gifts — something old, something Irish, something heirloom - Anniversary gifts — especially porcelain/china milestone years - St. Patrick's Day collectors and Irish heritage families - Belleek collectors seeking authentic Black Mark era pieces - Display in a curio cabinet, vanity, or dining sideboard
▸ SHIPPING
This piece will be meticulously double-boxed with generous bubble wrap and dedicated padding around the applied florals and twig handles. Fully insured Priority Mail with signature confirmation. Ships from Seattle, WA within 2 business days of payment.
▸ ABOUT SWCURATED
Every piece in our shop is personally sourced from Pacific Northwest estates and antique markets, carefully researched, and authenticated before listing. We specialize in fine European and Irish ceramics with strong provenance and storytelling appeal.
Questions about authentication, age, or history? Message us anytime — we love talking about the pieces we curate.
