Centuries Old or Recently New, Stunning Hardly Covers it...

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Continuing from yesterday’s post I’ve dived into my archive photos and and taking you to a town very close to The Hague: Delft.

From humble beginnings in 1653 the Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles  (The Royal Porcelain Bottle) pottery in Delft has managed to help make Delft world famous for it’s blue and white earthenware.

It may come as a surprise but not all of the pottery that’s known as “Delftware” is blue and white in colour.

There are other famous and specific types and styles of earthenware (tulip holders and shaped plates that fit together etc) that incorporate many colours and for many centuries these were actually as popular as the blue and white pieces but in the last centuries it’s the distinctive blue and white pattern that  became a fashion icon and gained the most popularity therefore stealing the limelight.

The Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles has  a long centuries long  association with the Dutch royal family and was granted the right to incorporate the word “royal” into the name of their company in 1919 in  recognition of this.

Inside the factory it’s possible to see the companies own collection, treasures, some of them as old as the company itself.  There were also some stunning hand painted examples in the shop (with matching stunning prices). But you are at least paying for something totally hand-crafted and a beautiful work of art in it’s own right:  They take my breath away…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Koninklijke_Porceleyne_Fles

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)