The logo of Royal Delft, the Delftware manufacturer, combines a dark blue name with a golden crown and the date 1653. The name is set in uppercase letters with fine serifs. In the vertical version, the name spans two lines and may have the light grey-blue tagline KONINKLIJKE PORCELEYNE FLES below, linking the international brand name to the manufactory’s historic name. The date beneath the crown indicates the year production began, while the crown refers to the royal designation granted in 1919. A separate maker’s mark appears on the products: a small bottle, the JT monogram and the word Delft. The painter’s initials and a letter code indicating the year complete this mark.
Royal Delft is a Dutch manufactory in Delft, founded in 1653 as De Porceleyne Fles, meaning ‘The Porcelain Bottle’. It is known for white earthenware hand-painted in blue, called Delft Blue. Despite the historic name, the material is Delftware rather than porcelain. In the second half of the nineteenth century, Joost Thooft helped revive production and added his initials to the maker’s mark. Today, the manufactory produces tableware, vases, tiles and decorative pieces with traditional and new designs. Its museum introduces visitors to the history of Delftware and offers a view of the production process.
