Belleek Porcelain Mugs, ‘Irish Claddagh’ (Set of 2) (Ireland)

The Irish claddagh, dating back to 16th-century County Galway, is a pair of clasped hands holding a crowned heart that symbolizes love, friendship, and loyalty. Here it graces a pair of ivory porcelain mugs by the renowned Northern Ireland pottery company Belleek. The pair makes a romantic gift for a couple.

When John Caldwell Bloomfield inherited his father’s estate, he looked for a way to employ the villagers who lived within its boundaries during the difficult years of the potato famine. The local geology was perfect for creating refined clay, and Bloomfield had mills built along the River Erne to help process the clay. By the mid 1860s, Belleek pottery had become an international business whose products were even collected by royalty. Coal-fired kilns and waterwheel-powered mills have given way to state-of-the-art manufacturing technology, and the company’s original earthenware pottery has been expanded to include crystal, silver, and giftware, but Belleek designs remain sought after by collectors around the world. 4.8 W x 4 H

• Shape: Round
• Material: Porcelain
• Color: Ivory