A review on fine pottery and antique porcelain.
James Paxton
 A Dutch Delftware blue and white chinoiserie Rouleau vase |
The French word faience comes from Faenza, the
city in northern Italy that has been producing glazed earthenware since
the 15th century. Some wonder if it came from Fayence, a city of
southern France, which is also known for its ceramic products. Faience
is a glazed ceramic, from quartz and not clay, that was invented before
glass and is known as one of the oldest man-made substances.
When
one thinks of fine faience, one thinks of Delftware from Holland. This
type of ceramic is particularly noteworthy because the factories of
Delft were the first to enamel the faience twice, a process that
resulted in a luster and durability equal to none other at the time.
Holland was an important trader with China and the early Delftware was
influenced by the blue and white Nankin ware. The first factory in
Holland opened in 1585 and from 1560 to 1725 Delft was the world
capital of faience, with the Deflt style influencing the patterns and
designs of German, English, and French faiences. At the beginning of
the 18th century the trend switched from the blue and white faience to
porcelain from China and Japan, which was at first imitated and later
enhanced by the French and English who took porcelain to greater
heights.
During that time faience had disappeared from
aristocratic tables; faience of lesser quality were used, but only by
the lower class. Delftware had almost disappeared. However, after 1876
the factory De Porceleyne Fles started reproducing ancient models and
the porcelain of Delft was revived. Blue and White Large Oval Plaque |
Today
the market for Delftware consists mainly of late 19th-century pieces,
which are worth much less than those original pieces from the 15th and
16th centuries, the real antiques. If you are searching for original
Delftware, do your homework and do not buy outside of a reputable
antiques dealer. One further caution: note that hairline cracks can be
so perfectly camouflaged that flaws are only detectable using
ultraviolet lamps.
When traveling to Holland, one can purchase Delftware from only a few select places, such as Aronson Antiquairs in Amsterdam, a world-renowned specialist of ancient Delftware. |
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