What is delft ware

WHAT IS DELFT WARE? By marks4antiques.com

A late 20thC reproduction Deflt Tall Vase made by Delftsblauw in Holland in the old style

Delft Ware refers to a style first adopted by many old potteries in Delft, Holland, around 15thC onwards. It was heavily influenced by designs seen in China by Dutch tradesmen and has a characteristic Chinoiserie style, mostly in Blue & White. Colored Delft ware, called Polychrome Deflt, was also produced in small numbers at first and gained popularity in later years.

Most of the original Delft potteries have closed centuries ago, but their legacy continued to live through the numerous porcelain factories established since, not only in Holland, but also in other countries, including the UK and France. Even the German Meissen factory produced many items in a distinct Chinoiserie style that was almost identical to the original Delft, but slightly Europeanized. For example, Meissen’s famous Blue Onion pattern has been directly inspired by these same influences and it is still being issued today, not only by Meissen, but by other companies in several variations.

An original & authentic Delft Covered Tureen from around early 18thC

Although original and authentic Delft ware from the early years comprised mostly of utilitarian items such as Plates, simple Vases or Ceramic Tiles etc, this style permeated many other art forms, including decorative Clocks, Urns, large Porcelain Centerpieces and even Porcelain Furniture in the form of Chairs or Table Tops.

A French LOUIS XV Chair made in Blue & White Delft style ca 19thC

Production of Delft ware in England was concentrated in the Bristol region and other industrial locations - see BLUE & WHITE or POLYCHROME ENGLISH DELFTWARE POTTERY: Delft styled earthenware made in

Bristol or London, UK. Although several potteries in Staffordshire, UK, which until now is still the most prolific region where porcelain & earthenware is produced, also engaged in Delft-styled items, yet most of their designs were directly influenced by Chinoiserie design schemes, rather than being “translated” through the eyes of the Dutch - see CHINOISERIE PORCELAIN MARKS: Identify Chinese & European porcelain marks on Oriental styled items.

English Chinoiserie Delft-styled plate made in Liverpool ca mid-18thC

The popularity of this style has remained strong over the years, primarily because of its striking and unpretentious appeal that without having to be fancy, can still impact a bold decorative statement and blend in just about any sort of general décor around it. Needless to say, imitators of this style have now been expanded to include several reproductions made in the Far East, which are still of high quality, but not antique. This includes the millions of souvenirs sold in Holland to tourists, some in whimsical forms and some more

serious.

It is interesting to note that original Delft ware were themselves a copy of Chinese wares, which at that time had been the prized possession of only a few noble families or at European Royal Courts. In other words, the original potters in Delft were trying hard to imitate the true brilliance of translucent porcelain imported directly and exclusively from China in those days. Since the secrets of true porcelain had not yet been re-discovered in Europe, these first attempts were made in earthenware and were generally of inferior quality to the imported examples (see TYPES OF PORCELAIN: Hard Paste, Soft Paste, and Bone China), which means that we have now come full circle with the Chinese copying older European earthenware reproductions of antique Chinese porcelain!

Prices and values of Delft ware have varied over time. With the flood of newer reproductions made just about anywhere in the world over the last few decades, some interest was lost when buyers could not distinguish authentic pieces from reproductions, which obviously affects their worth significantly. Properly identifying Delft marks can be quite daunting. Some of the original marks used by Delft potters in the 15 – 17thC were copiously imitated by many producers and as early as the mid-19thC. Although some of these older reproductions, many made in France by the way, are now antique and command high prices at auction, the very recent items that have dominated the antiques market nowadays have A Delft styled Clock made in Holland proven to be more difficult to decipher. around early 29thC Our marks4ceramics section of our services contains a huge display of related marks, including those observed and recorded on recent imports, to help our members identify and determine the age of their collection much easier and totally online.

Actual auction records for a large variety of Deftware are also included in our values4antiques section and can help in arriving at a fair estimate of their worth.

Here is a small selection of Deft ware pricing.

About marks4antiques.com Currently celebrating its 10th anniversary of service, marks4antiques.com is dedicated to providing the largest and most updated research tools to help its members identify and appraise antiques & A Polychrome Delft Cow Porcelain Figurine made in Holland ca early 20thC

collectibles. Registered members have access to comprehensive visual reference methods with thousands upon thousands of images of makers’ marks & hallmarks displayed in Shape or Letter Categories for fast access or can use the proprietary Name or Initials Search features. Also includes a huge database of millions of actual auction records and uses a ‘smart’ search that quickly deciphers key terms using advanced software technology to yield accurate and relevant results. The company is located in the San Francisco Bay area since 2004.

Newer Delft Blue & White reproductions made in China ca late-20thC