The Miller’s home in the Sanford woods.

President’s Corner

I would like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s fundraising auction to benefit the Richard Degenhardt Scholarship Fund. A special word of thanks to Charlie and Ann Belmore who were unable to attend the meeting but sent a check for $100. We all wish Charlie a quick recovery so he can join us again.

The auction raised more than $1000 for the third consecutive year, ending with $1500 to be sent to the fund. Thank you again for making it all possible.

Some of the pieces that were donated for the auction.

Notices are out for the 2005 Annual Meeting of the BCIS. The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I encourage everyone who plans to attend to make your reservations promptly to help the committee with its planning. Pat and I plan be there, and we hope to have a strong representation from the Sunshine Chapter.

On a local note, I have signed the contract for rooms with the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora for our July 22-23 meeting. There is a separate article in elsewhere in this newsletter providing detailed information about this meeting.

Shopping has been especially good recently. Pat and I stopped off at Fitzpatrick’s Irish Shop in High Springs and purchased a number of items including the new Iris Vase, a Finner cup and saucer, and several Christmas decorations for door prizes. We also purchased two signed event pieces for 2004, one for ourselves and one for auction. These signed pieces may be the last of their kind, because it appears that the annual signing trips will be discontinued by the pottery. I understand that they are having trouble recruiting young people to make the trip to America for the extended period required.

Ellen Baier, the owner of Fitzpatrick’s also donated an event piece for our auction. Fitzpatrick’s has a good stock of new Belleek, and I encourage you to patronize the shop if you get the chance. There are still several event pieces available for sale at the reduced price of $30.00, and this will be your last chance to get a signed piece. Ms Baier’s business card with her telephone number and email address has been inserted in the newsletter for your information.

Shopping around, I found several pieces of older Belleek for sale. I have had good luck recently at Avonlea Antiques Mall on Beach Boulevard Jacksonville and also at Rennigers in Mount Dora. I found a Henshall twig woven plate with handles for an asking price of $495 at the Carriage House in Jacksonville (also on Beach Boulevard). I passed on it because I already have that piece, but it was a good buy. I also found 3d mark shamrock cups and saucers for an asking price of $75 at the recent Extravanga. I passed on the cups and saucers but picked up a couple of pieces from Bob Quarles during my visit. Incidentally, Bob said he would give members a 25% discount on his Belleek to those who show the membership card when making a purchase.

By the way. Has anyone seen the complete Lace Tea Set (with tray) on display at the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine. It is wonderful!

Our April meeting will be at Bob and Vicki Pearce’s home in Maitland. On the 16^th. Directions will be out in mid March.

The following article was printed from Business World Live

Donegal china plant moves across border

13 Jan 2005

Donegal Parian China today said it is to close its plant at Ballyshannon in Co Donegal and will transfer production to its sister company, Belleek China, in Co Fermanagh.

The company, which employs 44 full-time and 10 part-time staff, could not say how many people would lose their jobs, but said redundancies would be unavoidable.

It said there would be a number of job opportunities for the Ballyshannon-based workers at the Belleek plant. Parian China said the decision to close the plant followed rising costs.

From the Donegal Parian China WEB site, The History of the company.

Located in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal at the mouth of the river Erne, Donegal Parian China is one of Ireland’s premier giftware companies.

For Nearly 150 years this corner of Ireland has been famous for its Parian China production and today the crafts people at Donegal China are carrying on this proud tradition into the new millennium.

Donegal Parian China celebrated the first decade in business in 1996. From humble beginnings in 1986, this young company has become the leading participant in the Ceramics Industry in Ireland and the market leader in design, product shapes and patterns.

The original founders of the Company had over 100 years of ceramic production and marketing experience between them and in 1989 decided to commence production in the beautiful and friendly town of Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal.

Donegal Parian China has grown from strength to strength, employing 60 people, this coupled with an internal marketing ethos that everyone involved ensures that customer satisfaction and quality delivery service are never compromised upon.

Donegal’s Rose patterns (Kerry, Mystical, Mourne, and Exquisite) have been outstanding since being introduced and will continue to please, while collectors and gift givers alike can enjoy the beauty that is ‘a gift today, a treasure tomorrow’

Donegal Parian China is now a part of the Belleek Group of companies, which incorporates Belleek Pottery, Galway Irish Crystal and Aynsley China. In becoming a part of the Belleek Group, Donegal Parian China Limited has joined an organisation that has made significant inroads into the world markets for parian china and leaded crystal products. Becoming part of the Belleek Group offers major opportunites for Donegal Parian China Limited in areas such as product development, technology development, marketing, procurement, etc.

Donegal Parian China Limited is committed to the ethos of quality coupled with product development and customer satisfaction. Everyone in the Company – management and craftspeople alike are committed to the above ethos. Our aim is to produce and market quality products to meet consumer taste and demand and to offer the consumer value for money and pleasure in the products they purchased.

Plans for the July Meeting

The July meeting will be held in Mount Dora at the Lakeside Inn on July 22-23. At the time I signed the contract, there were 19 persons signed up to attend the entire weekend, so I guaranteed a minimum of 10 rooms at a group rate of $89 per night plus 11% tax ($98.79 per night.) No meals are included in this rate.

The persons who have signed up are:

Shellie Olson (2)

Pat and Patty French

John and Pat Miller

Mary Juby

Bob and Vicki Pearce

Lois and Mike Kane

Kuella and Harlan Wiss

Paul and Dot Morin

Micki and Marti Kusel

Sheila Sharon and Bud

The manager at the Lakeside Inn has requested that each of the parties for whom rooms have been requested call the reservations desk at the numbers listed below to confirm their reservations and provide a credit card number as soon as possible. Their policy is to revert to the regular rate ($129 per night) if we do not complete our contracted number of reservations (10).

Anyone who is not on the list who wishes to attend the entire weekend can call the Lakeside Inn and make a reservation at the same rate by identifying himself or herself as a member of the Sunshine Chapter. Call them at 372-383-4101 or 800-972 –7175.

Lakeside Inn, in Mount Dora.

It is not necessary to stay at the Lakeside Inn to attend the meeting or participate in the planned and unplanned activities. All members and guests are welcome.

Check-in time is 3 p.m. The tentative plan is to meet in the hotel lounge about 5 p.m. on Friday afternoon for a social hour. We will have some dinner suggestions at that time so we can go as a group or otherwise depending on individual preferences. I also plan to ask for a vote at the April meeting to pay for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday at the hotel for those attending who wish to eat breakfast. Saturday morning after breakfast will be open time with a luncheon meeting scheduled at O’Keefe’s in Tavares at 12:00. The afternoon is free for activities in Mount Dora or shopping at Reinningers. Dinner would be on your own. Sunday breakfast would end the weekend with checkout by 11 a.m. This is a very loose program to allow everyone ample time to sample the local activities. Persons planning to attend will receive up to date restaurant lists and brochures showing the activities that are available in the area at least one month prior to the meeting. Please plan to join us for this extended event.

Mary Juby found this second black mark Boy and Vine candlestick at the Maitland Civic Center Antique show this fall and also the second black mark Hexagon Mustache cup and saucer below.

When Angela was here last year she told John that she would have a special awards plate made for us this year. Well she made good on her word and John presented the “Outstanding Contribution” plate to Bob and Vicki Pearce. Vicki for her work as Secretary / Treasurer and Bob for the Sunshine Chapter’s newsletter, “Parian Chatter.”

Bob and Vicki Pearce receive “Outstanding Contribution” plate from John Miller.

The Auction

The Auction this was a very good success. Thirty five pieces were auctioned off to 21 members and guests for a total of $1,329.00. Other donations that have been received over the past year brought the grand total to $1,500.00. What’s interesting is that the average price per piece was only $37.97. Pieces sold for as little as $2.00 and as much as $150.00. I think it was the number of pieces presented for auction that was the key to our success this year.

Dot Morin shows off her Rose Web tree that was made by Melvin Craft.

After making the donation to the RKD fund there is $1,297.74 left in our treasury. The April dues notices will be sent out in March along with the directions to the April meeting.

54 jobs go as Donegal pottery closes
By Brendan McDaid 11 February 2005

Leading pottery company Belleek today rejected claims it has failed to consult workers over the closure of a Donegal china plant, which will result in the loss of 54 jobs.

The accusation was made by employees of the Belleek owned Donegal Parian China, who lost their jobs following the recent closure of the now doomed Ballyshannon factory.

Belleek has refuted the claims.

A total of 44 full-time and a further 10 part-time jobs are to go as a result of the closure in Ballyshannon.

The workers claimed that there has been a lack of negotiation over the move, and have called for an urgent meeting with the Republic's Government.

A spokeswoman for the employees said: "The Belleek Group/Donegal Parian China have offered us the basic statutory redundancy, but in no way are they recognising our years of service to the company."

The workers' spokeswoman further accused Belleek of making their own products a priority to the detriment of the indigenous Donegal business.

"An emphasis in our Ballyshannon workplace was focused on the Belleek products which have been produced in Ballyshannon to the detriment of the product known as Donegal Parian China.

"Sales staff were taking orders for Donegal China in many gift stores across the country but when the orders came to the factory floor, the production wasn't met, because our directive was to produce Belleek giftware."

A spokeswoman for Belleek said today that extensive consultation and one-to-one meetings with staff had taken place.

She added: "The decision to close the Donegal Parian China plant has been taken against a background of rising manufacturing and operating costs.

"The transfer of production to Belleek's state-of-the-art production plant will lead to significant cost savings both in terms of economies of scale and in increased manufacturing efficiency.

"The move will safeguard the future of the Donegal China brand and there are exciting plans for the future development of the brand."