Royal Delft | Delft Blue Porcelain | Delftware

About Royal Delft

Royal Delft is a pottery factory with a rich history. Its history dates back to the 17th century and is closely linked to the rise of the iconic Delft Blue. In the Golden Age, Chinese porcelain was very popular. The Dutch East India Company brought large quantities of it to the Netherlands. However, this blue and white porcelain was also very expensive. Delft potters tried to create an alternative using local earthenware with a white tin glaze, which was more affordable.

De Porceleyne Fles

In 1953, Royal Delft was founded under the official name “De Porceleyne Fles”. At the time, it was one of 32 pottery factories in Delft. However, in the late 18th and 19th centuries, Delft pottery faced tough competition from England, which produced cheaper pottery from real porcelain. De Porceleyne Fles was the only one to survive, partly due to the introduction of new techniques and artistic changes. In 1919, the company was awarded the designation 'Royal' by Queen Wilhelmina.

Hand-painted | Transfers

Today, Royal Delft, as it is now called, is still located in Delft. It is the only place where Delft Blue porcelain is still made and painted entirely by hand according to 17th-century tradition. Traditional painting remains central, but various new techniques have been added over time. For example, the transfer process is widely used, where a screen print image is applied to the ceramics. This creates a high-quality product that is more affordable than the hand-painted collection. The Proud Mary, for instance, the figurine named after the wife of Stadtholder William III, is available with both transfers and in various hand-painted versions.
The Royal Delft collection also includes beautiful decorative items for the interior, such as plates, tiles, and vases. All with a nod to traditional Delft Blue.