Paauw Blauw tableware
This graceful bird the peacock is known for it's beautiful tail feathers. It is therefor not surprising that this Asian ornamental bird can be seen on the oldest blue-on-white pottery. The Paauw Blauw collection is an elegant tableware that refers to the growth that Delft blue pottery has undergone. From expensive decorative objects in the palace of the Chinese emperor, via converted beer factories in Delft, to modern tableware in Dutch kitchens. The peacock is also a symbol for the former Heinen Delfts Blauw factory called ‘De Paauw’. The factory from 1651 was one of the few pottery factories that continued the tradition of completely hand-painted Delft pottery into the 21st century. This graceful peacock tableware is a tribute to the special journey that Delft blue pottery has made over the centuries.
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Paauw Blauw tableware by Heinen Delfts Blauw
Just as Delft blue porcelain has its origins in the Far East, the same can be said about the peacock. This oldest known ornamental bird from Sri Lanka first arrived in Europe more than four thousand years ago. The imposing peacocks were kept as pets and quickly became a status symbol because of their beautiful tail feathers. In the Empire of China, a peacock feather was worn on the hat as a sign of a high distinction and in the Netherlands the Gelderland dukes received white peacock feathers for their helmet from Staverden Castle, also known as the peacock castle. This connection with the oldest decorations on blue-on-white tableware from Asia is partly the source of inspiration behind this new tableware collection by Heinen Delfts Blauw. A tableware decorated with graceful peacocks, in beautiful Delft blue tones, which centuries ago the Chinese Emperor also looked at with great admiration.
De Paauw, the Delft blue factory of Heinen Delfts Blauw
The peacock has another special meaning for Heinen Delfts Blauw. This tableware with peacocks on it is also a tribute to the former Delft blue factory in Delft that bears the name ‘De Paauw’, the 17th century spelling for the Dutch word pauw, peacock. The factory is named after the original pottery factory that was founded in 1651 under the name ‘De Delftse Paauw’, one of the few factories that continued the tradition of completely hand-painted Delft blue pottery unil the 21st century. Unfortunately, the factory did not survive the corona crisis. With this graceful peacock tableware we want to make visible the special path that Delft blue pottery has taken. All the way from the private quarters of the Chinese Emperor thousands of years ago, to the Dutch kitchen tables of today.