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Delftware Flower Vases, circa 1700

Delftware Flower Vases

In 1677, Mary Stuart (1662-1694), daughter of James, Duke of York and future James II, arrived in Holland after a treacherous journey from England. She was fifteen years old, and had just married her cousin, William III, stadholder of Holland. With her animated and personable demeanor, the Dutch people quickly developed an adoration for Queen…

2069 Blue and white Delftware plate men in smithy

Blue and White Blacksmith Plate

Every month we present a special object from the Aronson Antiquairs’ collection. This month we would like to show you this interesting blue and white plate! Decorative Delftware plates, such as the present example, were intended to be displayed on etageres, in glass cabinets or on walls. The representations on the plates are varied, and…

The Tudor Rose on Delftware

The Tudor rose, which is sometimes also called the Union rose, is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England. Its name and origins come from the House of Tudor, which united the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The Tudor rose consists of five white inner petals, representing the House of York, and…

‘t Fortuyn (The Fortune) Factory

The ‘t Fortuyn (The Fortune) factory was started in 1661 by Joris Jansz. Mesch, and was located on Lange Geer alongside De Metaale Pot (The Metal Pot) and several other Delftware factories.1 The factory enjoyed a long and successful existence, although a portion of the history and employee details can only surmised because the factory…

Imari palette charger

Polychrome and Gilded ‘Imari-Style’ Charger

Every month we present a special object from the Aronson Antiquairs’ collection. This month we would like to show you this polychrome and gilded 'Imari-style' charger, which is marked for Pieter Adriaensz. Kocx, the owner of De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory from 1701 to 1703, or his widow Johanna van der Heul, the…

Antique Dutch Pottery delftware dishes

Fans on Delftware

For centuries, fans have been used for both utilitarian and ceremonial functions. The fan originated in Asia, and was first used for cooling more than 2,000 years ago during the Zhou Dynasty. The exotic objects were brought to Europe by trade travelers in the sixteenth century. Fans were also seen in the decoration on Chinese…

William Cavendish’s Delftware Collection

The popularity of Delft earthenware in England reached a peak in the last decades of the seventeenth century under the influence of Queen Mary II of England and her Dutch husband King-Stadtholder William III.1 In 1700, there were three hundred noble families in England, each with their own newly obtained coats of arms. Many of…

Mythological Scenes on Delftware

Ancient mythological stories featuring Greek and Roman gods have been leading sources of inspiration for painters since the Renaissance, when interest in the culture, philosophy and literature of classical antiquity skyrocketed. Mythological stories, in addition to Christian motifs, were widely depicted in the visual arts well into the Baroque and Rococo periods. Ovid’s Metamorphoses is…

Blue and White Plaque

Every month we present a special object from the Aronson Antiquairs’ collection. This month we would like to show you this blue and white plaque, from circa 1760. Made in the city of Rotterdam (probably Schiedamschedijk), the plaque shows two cobblers seated at their bench and sewing shoes. At their feet is a recumbent dog and a…

Blue and manganese Delftware wig stand

Delftware Wig Stands

Delftware was produced in numerous forms and functions, some of which remain unclear today. One example of such objects are the so-called wig stands, which are designed as a sphere supported on a stem above a foot. The French, and especially King Louis XIV, dictated one of the most fashionable and unusual accessories of the…

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