Delftware comes across the pond — and back into fashion
Journalists are trained to recognize that when some new behavior shows up on their radar once, it’s interesting; twice, it’s a coincidence; three times, it’s a story.
When I first noticed the barrage of hand-painted blue-andwhite pottery — ginger jars, vases, ceramic stools — in home stores and catalogs, I made a mental note: “Hmm, interesting. Are those pieces I saw as a girl in my parents’ house, alongside Hummel figurines, coming back?”
Later, while interviewing an interior designer and trend expert about the new traditionalist movement (which brings traditional looks into the home in unexpected ways) I asked for an example. “It’s putting Delftware in an all-white modern Miami apartment,” said the trend spotter, Karen Wolf of New Jersey. “Have you seen it lately?” she asked. “Royal Delft has completely reinterpreted its product, and it’s coming across the pond in a big way,” she said.
Then, just before the holidays, my husband, who lost his mom a few months ago, went to Pittsburgh to help clear out her house. He came home with only a precious few mementos, including two handpainted Delft pieces: a plate and a tile.
“Why these?” I asked. “Because I like them,” he said.
The story of Delftware dates back to 1602, when the Dutch East India Company was launched to protect Dutch trading interests in the Indian Ocean. It stumbled on white porcelain with blue decorations in China and took these examples of “Chinoiserie” to Europe, where they quickly became popular.
But by the middle of the 1600s, civil war in China shut down the export trade. So some enterprising Dutch folks tried copying the Chinoiserie. Those included, beginning in 1653, a Delft factory called De Porceleyne Fles, which later became Royal Delft.
The copies were a hit. And soon the Dutch artists began swapping out the Chinese motifs (pagodas, dragons and elephants) for windmills, tulips and cows.
Helen Taylor, a spokeswoman for Royal Delft, confirms my hunch. “The past couple of years we have noticed an increase in demand and interest for Royal Delft, particularly in the States,” she says via email. Royal Delft’s updated line, Blue D1653, gives the classic Delft patterns a modern twist.
Others are reinterpreting the historic patterns, too. This month, designer Nicolette Mayer of Boca Raton, Florida, released a line of Royal Delft-inspired wallpaper and fabrics (www.nicolettemayer.com) after getting the company’s blessing, which is not easy. “We do not often license another company or designer to use our designs,” says Taylor, who adds that Mayer’s reinterpretation marks the first time that Royal Delft designs have appeared on wallpaper and fabric.
“I’ve always loved Delftware,” says Mayer, who grew up in South Africa surrounded by Delft pottery. “It’s historical, and it has this classic nature which is strangely modern.”
Here are more things I’ve learned about the current trend:
SICK OF SLICK >> “The younger generation is getting tired of machinemade, technology-driven, monochromatic items,” Wolf says. “They want handmade pieces that have a story, and that bring authenticity to their life and home.”
BLUE-AND-WHITE IS HOT >> “We’re seeing a definitive move … toward blue and white in homes,” especially in kitchens, Wolf says.
PATTERN IS BACK >> After a long spell of simple solids, consumers are embracing patterns again. “Open shelving is also trending,” she says, “which raises the question of what do you fill it with?”
Asked why the blueand-white Delft pieces and contemporary interpretations fit into today’s homes, Mayer says because the look is at home in European, Asian, American, modern and rustic-style homes. Consider putting a collection of urns, platters, ginger jars and vases in the kitchen; Delft-inspired wallpaper in an entryway or powder room; and an assortment of Delft-fabric pillows in a guest room.
Those interested can buy Royal Delft at www. royaldelft.com, says Taylor, and stateside through Scully & Scully in New York. Many pieces are also on Amazon and eBay, but verifying authenticity can be difficult. Many look-alikes are not handpainted. A genuine Royal Delft piece has a handpainted signature and the word “Delft” on the underside.