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Handmade vases from the Netherlands

Written by Annette O'Shea On
In a time of fast processes and digital techniques, we reach back to the crafts of the past. The handmade Made-Lief collection comes with new Delft blue products made with time, attention and love. Craft at its best!
Made-Lief Collection Hand-painted Delft blue Unique Delftware
Tulpenvaas 3-delig met handgeschilderde Made-liefjes
Tulip vase Made-Lief tripartite
Available
€ 589,-
Handbeschilderde vaas Made-Lief collectie bolvaas klein Heinen Delfts Blauw
Made-Lief ball vase large
Available
€ 245,-
Handbeschilderde vaas Made-Lief collectie vierkante vaas groot Heinen Delfts Blauw
Made-Lief square vase large
Available
€ 149,-

Delft blue made with love 

Delftware pottery is traditionally a product made with a great deal of knowledge and love for the craft. In a time when more and more fast techniques are used in factories far away from here, we consciously go back to where it all started. With time, attention and much knowledge of the product, making beautiful pure Delftware. Right here in the Netherlands. That is the essence of the Made-Lief collection. As the name suggests, it is a collection made with love and like the flower the daisy, Delft blue has become a national symbol for the Netherlands. All Delftware products in the Made-Lief collection are handmade in the authentic way that has been done for four hundred years.

The Made-Lief collection is Delft blue in its purest form.

We think it is important that this special craft, which is an important part of our cultural heritage, continues to exist. We have also deliberately kept the decoration on the Made-Lief products very pure and clean. No unnecessary embellishments and frills, but Delft blue in its purest form. The blossom and petals are a typical decoration in the art of Delftware and it sometimes takes years for a master painter to master these forms. We also chose recognizable, traditional Delft blue vases for the models of the vases. Thanks to the pure decoration and clean lines, this collection has a very authentic as well as a modern look. Delft blue in its purest form.

Delft blue, a timeless craft

Delft blue pottery has been around for over four hundred years. It is a special craft that is instantly recognized around the world as something typically Dutch. Delftware porcelain originally came from Delft, where potters wanted to create their own variation on the Chinese blue-on-white porcelain that was wildly popular at the time. Those shiploads of porcelain from the Chinese porcelain cities were very fragile and during the long sea voyage, some shipments got damaged or sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Also, the Dutch who ordered porcelain from China did not always get what they had hoped for. That can be done more efficiently, they thought in Delft and the Delft blue porcelain was born. Via the water around Delft, the pottery was easily transported throughout the Netherlands and to other countries, and demand for Delftware skyrocketed. 

The Delft blue magic factory 

The special thing about a craft is that you need people's knowledge and skills. Something that is irreplaceable. For example, you cannot learn or study Delft blue painting anywhere, it is only passed down from master painter to apprentice and this internal training often takes years. The same goes for making the clay. Using carefully chosen raw materials from around the world, we mix our own clay at Heinen Delfts Blauw. We also make our own paint, which takes a week to make. We pour the clay into molds and let it dry just long enough so that the outer layer is hard, but the inside is still liquid. This creates a beautiful vase that is neither too thick nor too thin. This is all knowledge we have accumulated over the years through endless trial and error. The raw vase is then polished and we apply a layer of engobe to the outside. This is a thin layer of liquid clay, which makes the surface suitable for painting. After the painting, the vase is given a layer of glaze after which it goes into the kiln to be baked at a high temperature of about 1060 degrees Fahrenheit. The charcoal-colored paint now turns into the iconic Delft blue color thanks to the glaze. Like some school children remarked during their tour of our factory; "it is like a magic factory!"

How a Made-Lief vase is made:

1. From inspiration to creation

It all starts with inspiration. For the Made-Lief collection, we took our inspiration from traditional Delft blue floral decorations and shapes. Flowers and leaves are one of the oldest Delft blue decorations on porcelain. The idea is shaped through sketches on paper. Thus we explore the decorations, refine the shapes and so the concept slowly comes to life. Then a 3D design is made from the sketches. Our designer creates these digitally so that we can visualize the vases in detail, including dimensions and proportions.

2. Ceramic casting

Now that the design is ready, the making of the vase begins. We carefully compose our own clay based on more than ten different raw materials. Because we always need a white background for our Delftware decorations, we have to import raw materials from England and Germany. We do this because Dutch clay does not bake white, but turns red or yellow. It is also important that the faience gives just the right compressive stress, because this prevents hairline cracks in the final product. To achieve this quality, we bake the faience at a temperature of about 1220 degrees Celsius. It is difficult to paint on the clay layer itself, because the porosity is not optimal. Therefore, we apply an engobe layer over the fired faience. This is a thin layer of clay with a perfect water absorption, so that the paint flows nicely and the blue tones come out well.  

When the clay is ready, it is poured into molds made of plaster. The molds are made of plaster because it is porous and sucks the water out of the clay. Because of this process, the clay dries slowly. The clay dries faster on the slabs where it touches the plaster wall. This creates a dry clay wall, while the center remains liquid. After waiting about half an hour, this wall of clay is already about 4 mm thick. We turn the mold over and let the still liquid clay in the middle flow out. This creates a hollow vase. The casting edges of the mold that are visible on the product are cut away with a knife. The rest of the vase is smoothed with a sponge and some water. Then the vase must dry for three more days before the master painter can start working on it.

3. Painted by hand

Delft blue paint is actually black in color. This makes it extra challenging for the master painter to paint with. The paint is a composition of cobalt and copper oxide and is made by ourselves, according to our own recipe. During firing, the black color changes to the iconic Delft blue as the paint enters into a chemical reaction with the glaze. First, the master painter makes a pattern on the vase with a pencil or charcoal powder. Then the master painter traces the most important lines with a thin brush, after which the decoration is painted completely from scratch. No mistakes are allowed in this process, as the material is unforgiving. Once a brush stroke is made, it remains visible forever. Color difference and depth is applied by diluting the paint with water. This requires a tremendous amount of experience and insight. 

4. The vase is finished!

After painting, the vase is covered in a layer of glaze. This is done by hand to ensure that the glaze spreads evenly over the product. At this point in the process, the vase is completely white and nothing more of the painting is visible. Now the vase goes into the kiln. It is baked at a temperature of about 1200 degrees Celsius. During baking, the glaze melts and becomes transparent. The black color of the paint turns into the well-known Delft blue hue. After a process that takes days to make, the end result is finally ready: a beautiful, handmade Delft blue vase! Because the name “Delftware” is not protected, anyone can use it and therefore there are many imitations on the market. Authentic producers of Delftware use their own signature. Heinen Delfts Blauw's hand-painted items therefore always feature a fish as a trademark and the products come with their own certificate of authenticity. This guarantees the buyer that this item has been handmade and painted by hand, thus distinguishing it as authentic Delftware pottery.
Learn how to paint Delftware
By purchasing a product from the Made-Lief collection you support the preservation of this special craft and bring a piece of valuable cultural heritage into your home. If you would like to see with your own eyes how we make this collection and other unique Delft blue products, please visit our Concept Store in Delft. Here we show the complete manufacturing process. It is also possible to take a Delft blue painting workshop with one of our master painters or for the advanced painter it is possible to take a Delft blue painting master class. We would love to introduce you to and make you fall in love with this special craft.
Workshop Delft blue painting

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