Belleek Porcelain

The Belleek porcelain factory was founded in County Fermanagh, N. Ireland in 1857 by David McBirney. It was first put on show at the Dublin Exhibition of 1865.

Belleek is a light, fragile highly translucent feldspathic porcelain (feldspathic comes from feldspar which is any of a group of silicate minerals. Feldspars are the most abundant mineral type in the Earth's crust. They are the chief constituents of igneous rock and are present in most metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. All feldspars contain silicon, aluminium, and oxygen, linked together to form a framework. Spaces within this framework structure are occupied by sodium, potassium, calcium, or occasionally barium, in various proportions. Feldspars form white, grey, or pink crystals and rank 6 on the Mohs scale of hardness.) Belleek is similar to Parian Ware but has a lustrous pearly glaze.

This type of porcelain is said to have been invented by William Goss of Stoke. It was used for small vases and dishes, often shaped like shells, made to the design of Dublin architect. W.R. Armstrong.

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