Earlier Belleek baskets were rather plain with flowers and flat-rodded. Then came round-rodded baskets such as: the Triple Nest Basket, the Hawthorn Basket, the Rathmore Basket, and the Henshall Basket.
William Henshall of Staffordshire brought with him the skills of flower and basket modeling. Dating these beautiful baskets is difficult. Earlier baskets had a two or three strand base. Four strand bases were brought in later. Earlier baskets had an abundance of a variety of flowers. The earlier baskets were also smoother and bore a rich glaze. Early baskets were predominantly white. Also, the earlier baskets had handles with thorns and later came the grated porcelain type of handles. Baskets were made from 1865 all the way to 1989.
belleek basket
