The United Kingdom Group. For those who do not know us, we are a group based in the United Kingdom for collectors of Irish Belleek porcelain. The pottery was founded in 1857 and still produces wares today. Most prized and collected are early 'Black Mark' First Period pieces. Full and Associate membership is available. If you wish to join, please click on our 'Join Us' link, where payment can be accepted via paypal or cheque through the post. Please use our 'contact us' page for more details.

Our Last UK Meeting...was our Spring Meeting which was held in and around the Historic Maritime City of Portsmouth.. A more detailed report with extra meeting images can be found on our new Meetings Pages. More will follow in our 'Newsletter' Below, The Spinnaker Tower at night on the 'Gunwarfs' in Portsmouth. Right, slides from Fergus Cleary's talk

Meeting Pages...for a more detailed look at our meetings and also a report on our very recent Spring Meeting please view our updated pages which are now available

International Convention Meeting...was held in the States when a large contingent of UK Group members from the UK and around the world met at the 2011 Belleek International Collectors Convention held Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th September 2011 in Chicago, USA at the Doubletree Hotel. The Windy City Chapter put together an exciting schedule of events which everyone enjoyed. Unfortunately, not all UK collectors were able to make the trip to Chicago but members from the UK Group actively participated when there and took plenty of pictures for our next Newsletter. Our thanks to everyone at the Windy City Chapter and the Belleek Pottery and anyone else involved in the event for yet another wonderful convention. Coming soon, Web Pages for each and every Belleek Convention from 1993.

Next UK Group Meeting..returns to Coventry in July for an earlier date than usual for our Annual General Meeting to allow for the 2012 Olympic Events going ahead in and around Coventry. As usual we will hold our Belleek 'Silent Auction'. Hopefully this year the standard of quality rare and unusual Belleek entered for the auction will be high. More information will be added in the coming months

Figure of Erin.... We received an email recently with some images showing us a very rare painted version of Figure of Erin. We are certain that this is the first painted example of Erin to be discovered. 'Erin' is part of the Patricia Santry collection which includes many pieces acquired by her late father, James J. Santry (1912-1990) in Clonakilty Ireland.Below..Erin undecorated

Newsletter...NEW WEB based issue now released includes Articles on Matthew Henry Pope, Potter, Neville Maguire's research article, Regaining Time in Belleek, Tony Fox on Black Mark Tea Ware Part 14 and a look at Belleek sold recently via auction and E Bay Please click on cover left to view. Coming in future web based issue will be a full report on the 2011 Chicago convention. To obtain our Newsletters when they are issued, please enquire about UK membership or Overseas Associate membership.

Research Pages...We will shortly relaunch our Research web Pages. Please click on link left to view our updated research papers available soon

Rare Belleek...Our Rare Belleek page has now been updated. Rare Crested Pot, Imperial Centre Piece, Salt Glaze Belleek First Period, Flowered First Period Tazza, Rare Echinus colourway, Honeysuckle Vase, Marigold decoration to bread plate, plus Rare Tiffany New York marked tea set including tray, Earthenware pieces, Double Flowered Picture Frame owned by Cyril Arnold, Leinster Platter and unusual Grass Egg Cup.

Rare Belleek Archive ... can be accessed left from menu options. These have been sub-divided into several areas and can be accessed using key words, Crested, Painted, Tea Ware, Earthenware and Decorated. We will continue to add images firstly to our 'RARE Belleek Page' and then later to our individually themed pages.

From Eugene Sheerin Gallery part of a hand painted set decorated with Scenes of Ireland, by Eugene Sheerin 'Near Lapula on the Erne and Cromwell Bridge, Killarney Right

Identifying and Valuing Belleek Pieces... We are happy to help members identify pieces of Belleek but are unable to assist with valuations

New Mix and Match Service...launched at our Spring meeting, Elaine Ewings, our new co-ordinator described how this would work. Among our collections there are quite a few 'orphaned' pieces of tea ware. The aims of Mix and Match is to unite collectors who may want to buy or swap tea ware pieces to match up and complete cup and saucer sets. More information available by using our 'Contact Us' link in the main menu, left.