The Shamrock cookie jar. Perhaps the legrechauns had something to do with creating the captivating Irish Bellek china which has charmed collectors for 130 year. The discovery of a special fine white clay innorthwestern Ireland in the 1850s started this industry which still thrives today, producing a translucent china that glows from within. Belleek is Irish, and the shamrock is Irish, so it is only natural that almsot from the first the factory produced its shamrock ware. Many of the molds still in use today were first made between 1860-1890. The decorations are handpaitned and a pearlized glaze give it the unique feature. The only way you can tell how old a piece of Belleek you have is by the trademark stamped on the bottom of the jar. the romantic Irish wolfhound, harp, and castle, over the word Belleek. The simpler the mark, the older the china, and the more valuable and collectible. The black marks came first, then green marks after World War II, and now the marks are in gold. Belleek can be purchased in fine department and import stores. Even the new peices are made in small quantities, thus assurign their colelctibility and increasing value. The handle is made to resemble a stem. I was too impatient to wait until I could find - or afford - an antique Belleek jar, so I bought a new one, that is made from the same molds that were made 100 years ago. You cna only tell the age but the gold makr on the bottom of the jar. Someday, when I give this to my gradnchildren or greatgrandchildren, it may have icnreased in value too. Torquay pottery You can't collect everything; where would you put it? That is why I seldom buy a pottery cookie jar for my collection. But I made an exception for the motto ware jar by Torquay. Most people cannot resist the charm of Torquay, and I can't either. The discovery of an unique red clay in the very swouthwest tip of England in the Victorian era spawned a burgeoning busienss in terra cotta pottery, revered by the Victorians, and even grand enough to make terra cotta pieces as special gifts for Queen Victoria. Alas, by 1900, the bottom had dropped out of the red clay market. tTo survive, the little family owned factories in the area sought another pottery best seller. They found it in the painted and glazed Motto ware, they made out of their red clay, appealing to the tourist trade and advertising indsutries all voer the world who ordered their peices for promotion. Torquay is decorated in several aptterns also, which go well with the country decorating now in vogue. The Black cockerel, the blue Kingfisher, the Scandy pattern (similar to Norwegian rosemaling and Scandy is possibly short for Scandinavian., and the cottage patterns. The mottos can be humorous, moralistic, or anything, but for sure they appeal to all of us. Originally cosnidered a "cheap" product which one could pick up for pennies, now prices have escalated all over Briatain and the Untied States, Llocal clubs have banded to sutdy Torquay and there is an international Torquay Society headquarted in England that holds annual meetings. Pink Open Lace Pattern What plebian articles are we throwing away now that our grandhcildren will collect 50 years from now? The depressions glass, the giveaways with soaps and cereal during the 1930s and 1940s , are now eagerly colelcted, there are depression glass clubs, and depression glass shows held reguarly throughout the country. Scorned when it was issued, because it was only a cheap relative of the more beuatlful art glass , now we can appreciate the patterns and colors in their own right. No longer cheap, but at least it is still more affordable than the Vcitorian Art Glass and alter. *The pink open lace pattern can still be found at shows and flea marekts for afrfordable prices, and it is practicle besides. It is the only cookie jar originally advertised by the manufacturer that could also be ordered for use as a fish bowl, only available in the crystal, however, not the pink Carnival Glass I was a snob as a little girls during the 1920s and 1930s. We thought that carnival glass, soemtimes given away as gifts in carnival booths, was cheap and tacky, almost as tacky as depression glass. Now I love it. Carnival glass was manufactured throughout the world during 189-01920s, the biggest manufacturers were in the United STates. There were thousands of aptterns manufactured and macde in the most common colors of marigold, green and purple. Smaller amounts were made in all of the other colors of the rainbow, including black. Accoridng to an antique book I have that catlogs carnival patterns, cookie jars were not made in very many aptterns. The otustanding feature of carnival glass is its irridescence, and the original manufacturers pattented many secret processes, which were promptly stolen and adpatped by other manfuacturers. The most common way to produce the irridescene was by doing such and so. Heavy and exquisite, I love both of mine and feel lucky to have them. Grape Carnival Glass Some carnival glass is still being produced today. or at least in current times. The Fenton Glass company of ?? has been in business from 19 to the rpesent. Indeed, three books have just come out that are great for collectors, cataloging all of the glass that Fenton has made. I have a big pi8tcher in the same pattenr, and a goblet that originally came with a candle itn it as a Christmas gift. The Love Story Jar Some current colelctiberls can be just as charming as the old antiques. I was excited to find this cookie jar, with its golod color glass and its gold colored elaves and tendrils sourrinding the glass and the gold rim, lid and bail. The only mark on the bottom iis a taped on piece of paper on which isprinted Love Story. An added treat is that a music box is hidden under the domed lid and when the lid is removed, you hear the tinkling strians of Love Story. The wrod Japan is molded in the bottom of the glass. Was it created to cahs in on the romance of the Love Story movie starring Ali McGraw and tHE Doulton Procelain Jar. Surely one of my appealing jars, this was made in England aorund the 1900s and has the Doulton mark on the bottom of the jar.