•D2533. Blue and White Large Cylindrical Tankard

Delft, circa 1710

Marked Roos / 7 in blue for De Roos (The Rose) factory

Painted on the front with a blossom and foliate medallion interrupting a ground of floral sprigs repeated on the twisted loop handle, the rim with a herringbone border, and the base with a narrower hatchwork border; now mounted with a pewter footrim.

DIMENSIONS
Height: 20.5 cm. (8.1 in.)

PROVENANCE
The Kitty Valkier-Schreurs Collection, Belgium;
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam, 2015;
Dutch Private Collection, 1920

LITERATURE
Described and illustrated in Aronson 2015, no. 22, p. 41

NOTE
The tankard, characterized by its tall, cylindrical shape and a sturdy handle, was a practical choice for serving beer or ale—staple beverages in seventeenth and eighteenth-century European society. Its design was well-suited to the needs of communal drinking, providing a robust vessel that could hold a generous portion of liquid while being easy to grip and pass around. The popularity of tankards was undoubtedly influenced by the widespread beer-drinking culture across Europe, where such vessels were commonly used in taverns, inns, and homes.

However, when produced in Delftware, the tankard transcended its utilitarian origins and took on a more decorative role. The application of intricate blue and white designs, often inspired by Chinese porcelain, transformed these everyday objects into elegant display pieces. This artistic embellishment allowed Delftware tankards to serve not only as functional items for drinking but also as symbols of refinement and taste, suitable for display in more affluent households.

SIMILAR EXAMPLES
This style of all-over floral decoration is highly characteristic of De Roos. For reference, see three dishes with a similar background pattern illustrated in Van Aken-Fehmers 2001, pages 278 and 279, nos.84 and 85. A tankard of the same model and size, marked with an R in iron-red for De Roos factory, but featuring a rope-twist handle and decorated in
a ‘cashmere’ palette with birds and Asian flowers, housed in the Musée National de Céramique, Sèvres (inv. no. MNC 27116), is illustrated in Lahaussois 1998, pp. 44, 45, and 150, no. 125.