Imari

Heinen Delfts Blauw celebrates its 50th anniversary with a special jubilee collection: Imari. The vibrant colors of iron red, cobalt blue, and gold shine against the white porcelain background, bringing an Eastern brilliance to the down-to-earth Dutch setting.

Special Jubilee Collection: Imari

Amid the bustling market stalls in the fishing harbor of Spakenburg in 1975, Jaap Heinen sits hunched over a vase, his brush moving with precision along the refined patterns of Japanese Imari porcelain. The vibrant colors burst from the white porcelain, drawing admiring glances from passersby enchanted by this Eastern beauty. With this distinctive style, founder Jaap Heinen began his career as a pottery painter fifty years ago — the birth of Heinen Delfts Blauw. What started as a fascination with East Asian motifs evolved into a unique signature, blending the Japanese Imari tradition with classic Delftware. To mark this golden anniversary, Heinen Delfts Blauw looks back to its roots — with a special collection in sparkling Imari style.

Imari meets Delft Blue

Imari and Delft Blue both have their roots in Asia. In the 17th century, clever traders brought Japanese Imari porcelain to the Netherlands. The refined porcelain quickly gained immense popularity across Europe, prompting Dutch potters to find ways to replicate the coveted product. In Delft, a new type of earthenware was born, combining Delft Blue with red and gold accents: Delft Imari. What began as imitation evolved into a unique Dutch craft that is now recognized as part of our cultural heritage.