Metaale Pot

18. De Metaale Pot - The Metal Pot / Le pot de métal (workshop active from 1670 - 1775), Geer, east side. 'Names of houses' file mentions it in 1598. Also listed in 1805 as "Koornmarkt over de Geer" which pinpoints it as Geer number 2 or 4.

Above: This spectacular set of Delft Blue faience is just part of a collection of which now remain 125 items. The royal set was produced for Wenzel Ferdinand Prince Lobcowics of Bilnia in Bohemia. The potters mark is LC (Lambertus Cleffius) and the shapes recall the silverware which was the usual material for such a set. The entire set was ordered between 1671-1691 from De Metalen Pot and largely produced c. 1685. It is now in the town of Nelahozeves, just north of Prague [Praha, Czech Republic]. There, in the Nelahozeves Castle, the Lobcowics collection now displays both applied art and fine art (Veronese, Rubens, Velasquez, Pieter Breughel I:'The Hay Harvest'). Photo from Kiers, De Glorie van de Gouden Eeuw, Amsterdam 2000.

Delftware Connoisseurship

A serious collector of Delftware will attempt to identify and date an object. On Delft blue plates and other Delftware objects such as jugs, a potters mark may give a first indication. One should always treat potters marks with caution. Marks must be considered as just one indication.

Masters & apprentices

All masters and apprentices working at this workshop had to be inscribed in the Delft St Luke Guild Book. In 1877 this book was published in a 120 page text by Obreen. In 2002 this text has been scanned and is now available and fully searcheable on this internet site. See the yellow field on top; first click the heading Delft Artists & Patrons and then click Obreen. The full text is in Dutch. Spelling varies; in order to find masters or apprentices of a faience workshop (plattielbackers, plateelbacker, platielbacker) search for the letters "plat".

Translation from Trade Mark book 1764: "The faience workshop of the undersigned, standing at the east side of Geer and named De Metaale Pot (The Metal Pot) having on the facade of said house a metal pot which is drawn here ; there being no further sign hanging out in front of the faience workshop than: 1) in the facade of the house next to the gate; 2) And when the undersigned is marketing any goods the following letters are inscribed: MP."

Full presentation at http://www.xs4all.nl/~kalden Email the author at kalden@xs4all.nl

All questions about identifying, dating, valuing, buying and selling: please go to www.Aronson.nl.

Notes: Thanks to the Delft Archives Staff for their help and enthusiasm. A well researched two volume book on Delftware is Marion S. van Aken-Fehmers et al, Delfts Aardewerk, Geschiedenis van een nationaal product, published jointly by Waanders, Zwolle & Gemeentemuseum, Den Haag, 1999 (part 1) and 2001 (part 2).

Mark shown in Jean Justice, 'Dictionaire des marques et monogrammes de la faience de Delft', Gand/Gent 1901.

How did they make Delft blue faience? text in English

Hoe maakte men Delfts blauw plateel? Tekst in het Nederlands.  

Visit The Hague municipal Gemeentemuseum site on Delft Blue.

Launched January 2002.  Last update 25 October 2016.