Dimensions: 3 1/4" Tall x 5 1/4" Long x 2 1/2" Wide
Condition: Excellent pre-owned antique condition. No chips, cracks, or crazing. Some apparent gold loss on handles. Please see photos.
Details: Small boat-shaped basket, apparently formed by 'folding' opposing sides of a bowl into the center. Ivory, unglazed porcelain surface is textured in a fishnet pattern. Applied handles of glazed and gilded ivory porcelain sculpted to imitate twigs wrap under open ends of basket and curve over the center, wrapped by more twigs. Sprigs of thistles, hand painted in gold with a raised moriage effect decorate the sides. There are also thin streaks of gold wash underlying. Interior surface is glazed. Fine gold band at lip. Marked on bottom in red with a sword through a crown and "BELLEEK O&B". Also marked in black "O & B".
"American Belleek" is a term used for fine porcelain produced primarily in Trenton, NJ from the 1880's to the 1930's. During this time, potters from Belleek, Ireland immigrated to the area to help American potters develop a fine porcelain. Ott & Brewer produced this fine porcelain, using New Jersey clay and water from the Delaware river from 1882 until 1892, when demand for higher quality wares began to wane. The company was sold in 1893, becoming Cook's pottery.
