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Royal Delft trademark
The most recognized delft are the tiles which Dutch housewives utilized to edge their floors so their clean white walls would not be dirtied. Tiles were also used on the walls of houses built near the waterfront to protect against humidity. Daily necessities including kitchenware, plates, saucers, jugs and pots were soon made solely for ornamentation. Today, delft is popular with decorators and collectors alike.
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Early delft tiles
Early delft tiles
A 1900 Royal Delft blue pottery tile picture depicting "The Sewing Workshop" after a painting by Josef Israels.
A sampling of Royal Delft plates
"View of Delft", circa 1660-1661 by Johannes Vermeer
The painter Johannes Vermeer was born in and is closely associated with Delft, Holland. Vermeer is noted for his portrayal of domestic interior scenes and for his most famous painting, "Girl With A Pearl Earring".
Vermeer's "Young Woman Standing at a Virginal", circa 1670-02, on display at the National Gallery in London portrays a wealthy Delft home with a skirting of delft tiles. Although Vermeer illustrated the utilitarian use of delft in his paintings, it had not yet reached its best artistic period.
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"A Mother's Duty" by Pieter de Hooch, circa 1658, housed at the Rijks Museum, Amsterdam depicts walls tiled in delft.
The British rivaled the Dutch with their production of English delft which is a bit glossier and smoother as a result of differences in glazing. English delft was originally used mainly for floors but eventually was transformed through the use of copper-plate transfer printing and began being used decoratively as wall tiles."A Mother's Duty" by Pieter de Hooch, circa 1658, housed at the Rijks Museum, Amsterdam depicts walls tiled in delft.
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This pair of English delft shoe models dated 1727 recently sold at auction for $15,000. Today delft is highly collectable and there are many reproductions to beware of if you are in search of genuine delft. Other than tiles, most delft has the factory mark and the artist's name on the bottom of a piece which are useful in dating and appraising. Among blue and white collectors, delft is highly popular and can be quite expensive.
A delft bust of William III of Orange, circa 1695
A thirty-nine inch tall delft pyramidal flower stand, circa 1710
The China Room from 1897 at Drottningholm Palace, home to the current Swedish royal family since 1981, features a large collection of delft.
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Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen
At the Summer Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia
Victor Hugo's home, "Hauteville House" on the island of Guernsey is decorated extensively with delft.
The bath of British designer Anouska Hempel features exquisite antique delft tile.
Designer Anouska Hemple
Photography by Tim Beddow
Packwood House by Sue H J Hasker
Designed by John D. Oetgen
Kitchen designed by Rhoda Burley Payne. Photograph by James Merrell.
Kitchen of Anthony Baratta
Kitchen by interior designer Joseph Pell Lombardi
Lars Sjoberg house as featured in Country Style by Judith and Martin Miller.
A New York farmhouse designed by William Diamond and Anthony Baratta features a delft surround fireplace. The combination of delft and tartan is particularly charming.
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An imitation delft wall mural
An 18th c tile tableau marked Royal Delft
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