Delft

Delft

Delftware, tin-glazed earthenware first made in Delft, Holland, in the early 17th century and subsequently produced in Holland and England.

  Heavily influenced by Ming dynasty porcelain, delftware was notable for its thinness and fine decoration, often of manganese purple drawn on the clay before firing with a blue underglaze. Patterns varied from highly successful imitations of Chinese blue-and-white wares to French-influenced classical motifs; designers tended to fill the white areas of the wares rather than leaving them empty in the Chinese fashion. 

Production spread to England after William III became king of England in 1689, resulting in many royal commissions. The principal centres for English delftware production were London, Liverpool, and Bristol, and Dublin in Ireland. 

The 17th century was the greatest age of delftware; production continued well into the 18th century but was gradually supplanted by porcelain, especially the English creamwares developed by Josiah Wedgwood.

"SPODE" "DELFT" tanker that measures over 5" tall 
and has a base diam. of over 3" top diam. is 21/2".

10inch diameter hand painted wall plate 
produced by the Royal Delft factory 
(De Porceleyne Fles) in Delft, Holland

questions / comments? email Steve Birks steveb@netcentral.co.uk