Ireland’s Best Collectibles: Waterford, Belleek, Guinness, & More – WorthPoint

Fáilte! Are you headed to Ireland soon and curious about the best Irish collectibles to scoop up on your trip?

Here in Massachusetts, we get not one but two school break weeks. So, I took the opportunity in February to take a quick trip to Galway and visit a family member studying there for the semester while also enjoying some fabulous collectibles and shopping for all things Irish. Sure, shopping took a back seat to sightseeing and eating (not to mention car repair after blowing out two rental car tires on the narrow road to Clifden—more about that later).

Having returned stateside, I am happy to share my thoughts about the best Irish collectibles to seek and where to find them.

Waterford

Being the home of Waterford crystal, I saw crystal out the wazoo in both antique shops and gift shops. Alas, I picked up absolutely zero Waterford as my house is already full of it, and I would be wary of flying home with such breakable souvenirs. In addition, I know crystal just does not hold its value these days.

However, if you pick up a piece or two as a souvenir, I encourage you to go with something in the Lismore pattern. Lismore is the company’s oldest pattern, full of history, and of all the Waterford patterns, it retains the most value over time. Today, you can shop for and do a factory tour in the city of Waterford or keep an eye out for a souvenir in any Irish town’s local antique shop.

Belleek

I love the delicate, translucent quality of Belleek porcelain, but I am not wild about the trademark shamrock design that is still being made today. Like rainbows and leprechauns, it’s a bit too kitschy for me. I visited antique shops looking for older Belleek nautical pieces—they are my personal favorites, as I love anything sea-related. Many of the nautical wares also have a lovely luster glaze, which will pick up the light beautifully when you bring them back home (sunlight being a rare commodity in Ireland). I was also more comfortable bringing home a smaller-sized Belleek item than a larger, heavy Waterford piece.

Guinness

One of our funniest moments in Ireland was when we were at a traditional pub and asked for a glass of wine. The barman was so flustered not to be pouring a Guinness that he asked, “White or black?” instead of “White or red?” Believe me, after tasting the white he poured from the dusty bottle he found behind the bar, we learned to check if a pub was accustomed to serving more than Guinness! In any event, Guinness collectibles are wonderful to seek out. The first iconic “Guinness is Good for You” ad appeared in February 1929, and it was instantly a classic with its humorous animals and figures, cheerful colors, and bright red blocky text.

Again, I was quick to peek in antique shops for vintage examples of the classic ads, but they were few and far between. I had enormous luck finding plentiful reproductions, though, and even the souvenir shops are stuffed to the green gills with masses of Guinness merch.

Art & Literature

I’d say Ireland is known a bit more for its writers than artists, but I was able to find goodies to bring home from both categories. I found a lovely painting and a sculpted clay rabbit to bring home, both gleaned from the shelves of city charity shops. You can find charity shops in both Ireland and the UK, where folks donate goods which are then sold to benefit a specific charity such as animal rescue or cancer research. Truth be told, I loved stopping in charity shops more than the traditional antique shops. I got both the painting and the sculpture for just about a dollar each. I intended to resell them when I got back home, but as the clock ticks, I am enjoying them so much that I will likely just keep them.

If you are a reader like me and adore the work of classic Irish writers such as James Joyce and Brendan Behan, don’t hesitate to stop by both new and used bookshops. Most new bookshops will have nooks with used or vintage books, and you may find a treasure there. I stopped in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop several times in Galway (well, it was also a good spot to dodge the raindrops when needed).

Jewelry

Overall, I think one of the best collectibles you can pick up from Ireland is a piece of fine jewelry. Silver and gold always hold their value, and if you choose a vintage piece, you will have the added value of age and perhaps a bit of provenance if you ask the shop owner about the history of the piece. Beware that some antique shops stock both newer and vintage jewelry, so just be sure you know what you’re buying.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of the Claddagh rings, but plenty of other choices incorporate traditional Gaelic symbols and designs. I also had luck finding jewelry in some of the charity shops mentioned earlier.

Music

As a child of the 1980s, I grew up listening to many beloved Irish rock musicians, such as Sinéad O’Connor, The Cranberries, and even The Pogues. Sadly, many of these artists have passed relatively recently, so it occurred to me to stop in vintage music and record shops to seek out rare-issue albums from these artists. In the end, more than anything, I enjoyed chatting with the Irish record shop staff. Did I mention how nice the Irish are? Everyone is happy to have a chat, ask you where you’re from, and inquire how you like the weather.

To wrap up the tire story, we did not have to wait long for a kind person to stop and help after we blew out the pair (yes, pair) of tires on the narrow road to Clifden. We showed them our now left-tilting car, and they very graciously offered us a ride into town, even sharing a recommendation for a fine lunch spot where we could rest our nerves and wait for our repairs.

Days later, we were glad to make it home with both a story to tell about that narrow road and, more importantly, a suitcase full of collectible souvenirs from our wet, adventurous trip to Ireland!

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Amy Moyer is the proprietor of Antmuffin: Art, Antiques & Collectibles. She holds a B.A. in Visual Art from Brown University and lives in Boston.

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