Delft, circa 1710

Marked LVE 1 0 CB + in blue for Lambertus van Eenhoorn, the owner of De Metaale Pot (The Metal Pot) factory from 1691 to 1721 or his widow Margaretha Teckmann from 1721 to 1724

DIMENSIONS
Heights: 20.4 cm. (8 in.)

PROVENANCE
Dutch Private Collection;
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam

NOTE
The front of this heart-shaped flower vase is painted with Flora, shown draped in flowing garments and holding a basket of fruit, surrounded by small floral sprigs and cross motifs that are repeated on the reverse. Her calm yet animated pose and the abundance of vegetal attributes identify her unambiguously as the Roman goddess of spring, flowers, and the renewal of nature.

Flora occupied a prominent position in the decorative repertory of late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century Delftware. Rooted in classical mythology, she was associated with seasonal regeneration, fecundity, and the cyclical rhythms of the natural world. These associations made her an especially appropriate subject for spouted flower vases, objects whose very function was to support and display freshly cut blooms. In this context, Flora’s presence operates both symbolically and conceptually: she personifies the life-giving forces that the vase was designed to showcase.

Her imagery resonated strongly with contemporary intellectual and cultural currents in the Dutch Republic. The period witnessed a growing fascination with botany, stimulated by scientific inquiry, the establishment of botanical gardens, and the influx of new and exotic plant species through global trade networks. Flowers became objects of study, prestige, and connoisseurship, and their cultivation was closely linked to social status and refined taste. Within this climate, Flora came to embody not only natural fertility but also the cultivated appreciation of nature as shaped by human knowledge and artistic sensibility.

On Delftware, and particularly on multi-spouted flower vases, Flora thus functions as a mediating figure between nature and art. Her classical origins lent intellectual authority and cultural prestige, while her floral attributes aligned her with contemporary horticultural interests. The depiction of Flora on this vase reflects the convergence of classical allegory, early modern botanical culture, and the aesthetic ambitions of Delft potters at the turn of the eighteenth century, transforming a functional object into a richly symbolic work of art.

Delft, circa 1780

DIMENSIONS
Heights: 29.8 and 40.2 cm. (11.7 and 15.8 in.)

PROVENANCE
Dutch Private Collection, Maastricht;
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam

NOTE
This garniture is firmly rooted in the tradition of Delftware sets that emerged in the Netherlands during the late seventeenth century, a period when the fashion for grouping vases on mantels, above doorways, or atop cabinets had become an established feature of elite interior decoration. Inspired initially by the arrival of Chinese porcelain through the VOC, these symmetrical arrangements evolved into a distinctly European phenomenon, with Delft potters producing their own interpretations. By the eighteenth century, the garniture had developed into standardized combinations, most commonly five pieces, combining covered vases with beakers in harmonious, coordinated designs.

The present set belongs to this mature phase of Delftware garniture production, when potters increasingly drew on European artistic movements to shape both form and decoration. Its molded cartouches, enriched with shell motifs, and the overall sense of movement in the design are characteristic of the rococo style, which had become fashionable across Europe by the mid-eighteenth century. This style encouraged asymmetrical curves, playful ornament, and a shift from exotic chinoiserie subjects to pastoral and romantic European scenes. The swan finials, an unusual choice within the Delft tradition, complement the rococo taste for naturalistic and graceful forms, while distinguishing the set from more common finial types such as foo dogs or birds with cherries.

In keeping with the historical role of such sets, this garniture would have been prominently displayed in a position of honor, its unified yet varied forms creating a rhythmic visual effect across a mantelpiece or cabinet cornice. The combination of octagonal shapes, rococo ornament, and European subject matter situates it within the broader decorative trends of its time, while still preserving the essential qualities that defined Delftware garnitures from their inception: symmetry, coordinated design, and the fusion of artistic style with the social function of display. Around the same time, interior designers transformed cabinet cornices from straight into serpentine. It was only logical that from about 1730–40, the next progression in this development would be the integration of wooden consoles into the cabinet cornices, the perfect stage for the presentation of a garniture.

Delft, circa 1770

Marked LPK in blue for De Porceleyne Lampetkan (The Porcelain Ewer) factory

DIMENSIONS
Heights: 35.5 and 49 cm. (14 and 19.3 in.)

PROVENANCE
Belgian Private Collection;
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam

NOTE
The history of De Lampetkan factory, one of Delft’s most storied ceramic workshops, begins in 1609, when Abraham Davidsz. Oosterhouck acquired a property named De Burcht van Leyden, which he transformed into a pottery. Over the course of the seventeenth century, the factory passed through the hands of several prominent owners, including Cornelis Harmesz. Valckenhoff, Claas Jansz. van Straten, and members of the Hoppesteyn and Van der Voorn families. By 1723, the enterprise entered a prosperous new chapter under the Van der Ceel family, known for their refined production and enduring influence in the Delftware industry.

Among the factory’s most prized creations are its blue and white garniture sets, jardinières, figurines and ornamental vases. De Lampetkan’s artistic repertoire also embraced the chinoiserie style that swept through European decorative arts in the eighteenth century. Around 1760, the factory produced a series of elegant figures representing Asian women. These figures, with their stylized poses and musical instruments, were often inspired by Chinese export porcelain of the Qianlong period (1736–1795), though interpreted through a distinctly Dutch lens. Delft artisans frequently adapted the original Chinese forms, enhancing them with intricate, imaginative surface decoration unconstrained by the symbolic meanings of the originals. The current garniture set shows that also European topics were part of the assortment as well.

Under the stewardship of the Van der Ceel family, the factory flourished. By the 1770s and 1780s, the business had expanded its infrastructure, acquiring shares in De Paauw mill and a clay washery, an investment that allowed them greater control over their raw materials and reduced dependence on intermediaries. This strategic expansion contributed to the sustained quality and innovation seen in De Lampetkan’s later production.

The standing shepherd and dog are from an etching and engraving by Johannes [de] Visscher (1633-92+) entitled A Herd Leaning on his Staff. Detail of engraving by Johannes [de] Visscher and illustrated in F.W.H. Hollstein’s Dutch & Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Wood-cuts, Vol. XLI, 1992, p. 74, no. 106.

Delft, circa 1770

DIMENSIONS
Height: 40.5 cm. (16 in.); Width: 34.9 cm. (13.8 in.)

PROVENANCE
American Private Collection;
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam 2005;
Sotheby’s Amsterdam, 12 October 2004, lot 157

LITERATURE
Aronson 2019, pp. 114-115, no. 58

NOTE
The mirrored source for this plaque is La Musique Philis, an engraving by Nicolas Chateau (1680–1750), Paris, 1708, accompanied by a poem praising the enchanting power of music and love:

La Musique, Philis, est une enchanteresse,

Mais qui doit à l’Amour ce qu’elle fait de mieux.

Je juge avoir ce Dieu qui brille dans tes yeux,

Ce qu’il peut à ta voix ajouter de tendresse.

 

M.R.

Philis (Phyllis) is a figure from Greek mythology whose name signifies “foliage” or “leaves.” According to the legend, she married Demophoön, King of Athens and son of Theseus, during his return from Troy. When he failed to keep his vow to return to her, Phyllis took her own life and was transformed by the gods into an almond tree. Only upon opening a casket she had entrusted to him did Demophoön understand his neglect; embracing the barren tree, he brought it miraculously into bloom.

Phyllis’s story was well known in the seventeenth century and was referenced by the Dutch composer Jacob van Eyck (1590–1657) in several works, including Phyllis schooner Herderin and Philis quam Philander tegen. Such compositions may have contributed to the reception of Chateau’s La Musique Philis, which in turn served as the model for the present plaque.

Delft, circa 1765

Each marked and numbered A / IH 12 107 in manganese for Jacobus Halder, the owner of De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory from 1764 until 1768

DIMENSIONS
Heights: 13.5 cm. (5.3 in.);
Diameter: 11 cm. (4.3 in.)

PROVENANCE
Belgian private collection until 2023;
Collection of Michel van Gelder (1864–1929), Château Zeecrabbe, Uccle, Brussels

NOTE
Jacobus Adriaensz. Halder’s tenure as owner of the renowned Delft pottery De Grieksche A lasted only from December 1764 to 1768, yet in those few years he left a clear imprint on the factory’s production. Born in September 1741 to Margaretha van Rheenen and Adrianus Halder, he grew up in a period when Delftware faced increasing competition from foreign ceramics. In 1763 he married Johanna Radder, and soon after the couple acquired De Grieksche A from Jan Theunis Dextra (likely aided by Johanna’s inherited wealth from her first marriage). Two years later, Halder registered his “A / IH” mark with the Saint Luke’s Guild, at first as a shopkeeper, but by the time he sold the business in 1768 to Johannes van Briel and Petronella van der Laan, he had achieved the title of master potter.

During his brief but active ownership, Halder oversaw a diverse production that balanced tradition with innovation. The factory continued to produce classic blue-and-white Delftware, but also ventured into more elaborate figural pieces and imaginative figurative tablewares. Among his most distinctive contributions was a small group of petit feu Rococo objects inspired by Meissen porcelain, their refined colors and playful forms showing a keen awareness of changing European tastes. These works, produced at a time when Delft potters were under pressure from English creamware and German porcelain, reflect Halder’s determination to keep his wares competitive. Yet the limited number of surviving examples hints that this experimental line may have met with only moderate commercial success, or that the necessary specialist skills were lost when Halder left the factory. The present butter tubs, marked with his “A / IH” monogram, are part of this creative chapter, embodying both the craftsmanship and the inventiveness that defined De Grieksche A during his tenure.

Delft, circa 1765

Marked and numbered AIH 110 12 in manganese for Jacobus Halder,  the owner of De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory, from 1764 until 1768

DIMENSIONS
Heights: 28.5 and 29 cm. (11.2 and 11.4 in.)

PROVENANCE
Belgian Private Collection

NOTE
This important pair of figural candlesticks represents the high point of mid-eighteenth-century figural production in Delft and reflects the full assimilation of the rococo idiom into Dutch ceramic art. Modeled as winged putti supporting candle sockets, the candlesticks combine sculptural ambition with decorative function and were intended as prominent ornaments within refined domestic interiors.

During the third quarter of the eighteenth century, Delft potters increasingly adopted European sculptural models, moving away from earlier Asian themes toward subjects inspired by French and German art. The present candlesticks clearly reflect the influence of German porcelain, particularly Meissen, whose figural candleholders were widely admired and collected across Europe. Imported porcelain not only shaped taste but also provided concrete models for Delft factories, where vormers adapted such designs to the possibilities of tin-glazed earthenware.

The putti are animated with characteristic rococo vitality. Their asymmetrical poses, expressive gestures, and lively interaction with attributes such as birds and fish convey a sense of movement and playfulness. These motifs draw upon a long European tradition in which putti symbolized abundance, nature, and festivity, subjects well suited to objects intended for display in convivial settings. While indebted to porcelain prototypes, the sculptural treatment retains a distinctly Dutch sensibility, with robust modeling and an engaging directness characteristic of Delftware.

Figural candlesticks of this quality were luxury objects, displayed prominently on mantelpieces, console tables, or within display cabinets as part of the decorative ensemble of rococo interiors. Although the popularity of Delft figural wares declined toward the end of the eighteenth century in favor of porcelain, pairs such as this remain compelling testimonies to the artistic ambition and technical sophistication of Delft potters at a moment when they successfully engaged with international taste while maintaining a distinctive local identity.

Delft, circa 1770

DIMENSIONS
Heights: 14.2 cm. (5.5 in.

PROVENANCE
American Private Collection;
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam, 2001;
The Van der Vorm Collection, The Netherlands;
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam

LITERATURE
Aronson 2000/2001;
Abraham & Aronson
2010, pp. 32-33;
Aronson 2021, pp. 76-77, no. 52 

NOTE
Birds have occupied a prominent place in Western visual culture for centuries, appearing variously as symbols, ornamental motifs, and objects of scientific inquiry. Their meanings have shifted across time and place: in seventeenth-century Dutch genre painting birds often carried sexual connotations, linked to the verb vogelen, while in medieval manuscripts they served primarily decorative functions within marginal borders. From the early sixteenth century onward, however, birds increasingly became the subject of empirical study, stimulated by voyages of discovery and the emergence of illustrated natural histories.

These bird-form tureens belong to a long tradition of zoomorphic tableware in Delftware, where potters translated both familiar and exotic avian forms into sculptural vessels. By the mid-eighteenth century, dining à la Française had become the dominant mode of elite table service across Europe. Under this system, entire courses were displayed symmetrically on the table, encouraging the use of visually striking serving vessels. Delft factories responded by producing an expanded range of decorative tablewares, including tureens modeled as animals, which functioned as both utilitarian objects and conversation pieces.

The origins of such forms lie in the late medieval and early modern tradition of savory pies, elaborate culinary showpieces often shaped from pastry and filled with meat or poultry. These pies were frequently presented with feathers, heads, and tails intact, emphasizing spectacle as much as sustenance. As ceramic tableware increasingly replaced edible display pieces in the eighteenth century, trompe l’œil tureens offered a refined substitute, evoking the visual drama of the earlier pies without the need to sacrifice an entire animal.

Delft bird tureens range from representations of common domestic fowl to imaginative renderings inspired by exotic species known through trade, prints, and natural history illustrations. Their appeal lay in the combination of naturalistic modeling, vibrant coloration, and the enduring fascination with birds as creatures poised between the terrestrial and the aerial.

Delft, circa 1760

Each marked GVS in blue for Geertruij Verstelle, the owner of Het Oude Moriaanshooft (The Old Moor’s Head) factory from 1761 to 1769

DIMENSIONS
Heights: 13.5 cm. (5.3 in.)

PROVENANCE
Dutch Private Collection, Amsterdam

NOTE
This pair of duck-form tureens is marked for Geertruij Verstelle, proprietor of the Delft factory Het Oude Moriaanshooft (The Old Moor’s Head) between 1761 and 1769. Verstelle belongs to a small yet significant group of women who assumed ownership and managerial responsibility within the Delft pottery industry during the eighteenth century, often following the death of a spouse but operating with considerable independence and commercial acumen.

During Verstelle’s tenure, Het Oude Moriaanshooft produced a range of finely modeled and richly colored wares that demonstrate both technical competence and a clear sensitivity to contemporary fashion. The present duck tureens exemplify this production: their carefully articulated bodies, textured plumage, and alert heads reflect the Rococo taste for naturalism and visual play, while the oval bases evoke nest-like forms that enhance the illusionistic effect. The vibrant palette of blues, greens, yellows, and manganese outlines further underscores the painterly ambitions of the workshop.

The popularity of zoomorphic tureens in the mid-eighteenth century formed part of a broader European fascination with trompe l’œil ceramics, stimulated by innovations in Meissen porcelain and by the continued influx of Chinese export wares during the Qianlong period (1736–1795). Delft factories responded by translating these fashionable forms into Delftware, adapting international models to local materials and traditions. In comparison with their porcelain counterparts, Delft examples such as these are distinguished by their robust modeling, expressive surfaces, and distinctive polychrome decoration.

Seen within this context, the duck tureens stand as characteristic products of Het Oude Moriaanshooft under Verstelle’s direction. They testify not only to the vitality of the Delft ceramic industry in the 1760s, but also to the active role played by women in sustaining and shaping its output, contributing decisively to Delft’s participation in an increasingly interconnected European market for luxury tableware.

Delft, circa 1765

DIMENSIONS
Diameter: 23 cm. (9 in.)

PROVENANCE
Dutch Private Collection, Maastricht;
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam

NOTE
The precise function of Delftware plates and plaques painted with a yellow ground and decorated with garnitures, cuspidors, teapots, and other ceramic wares arranged in rows remains uncertain. Although documentary evidence is lacking, these rare objects have long been interpreted as sample plates, possibly used by Delftware factories to display their inventory and demonstrate the technical and artistic skill of their painters. Their concept may have been inspired by Chinese Kangxi-period porcelain decorated with assemblages of loose objects, motifs such as the “Hundred Antiquities” or “Eight Precious Objects.” Unlike the freely scattered compositions on Chinese porcelain, however, Delft painters arranged their objects in orderly rows and depicted them with a markedly higher degree of realism. These differences support the idea that the Delft examples served as structured catalogues of production rather than purely decorative motifs.

The bright yellow glaze used on these plates further underscores their prestige. As described by Gerrit Paape in De Plateelbakker of Delftsch Aardewerkmaaker (1794), Delft painters employed two recipes for yellow, both requiring antimony and gold litharge: materials that were costly and hazardous. The glaze was notoriously difficult to fire: it could burn easily, and pieces often required multiple firings. Paape notes that the pigment was applied in small bits on saucers dusted with ash to prevent sticking, then fired on the crown of the kiln.

Although these dishes are unmarked, stylistic parallels, including a marked plaque in the Kunstmuseum The Hague (inv. no. OC(D)245-1904), support an attribution to De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory. Yet if the plates truly functioned as sample wares, their manufacture may not have been limited to a single workshop. This example continues the Delft tradition of “sample” designs, especially popular between 1750 and 1775, and reflects both technical ambition and the evolving visual language of Delft faience in the eighteenth century.

Delft, circa 1760

DIMENSIONS
Height: 10.2 cm. (4 in.)

PROVENANCE
Dutch Private Collection;
Sold at Vendu Pulchri, Lot no. 561, November 1968

NOTE
This Delftware figure is part of a broader eighteenth-century interest in genre imagery, in which scenes drawn from everyday life were translated into decorative objects for the domestic interior. In the third quarter of the eighteenth century, Delft potters increasingly shifted away from Asian models and turned to European subjects, particularly those popularized by German porcelain manufactories such as Meissen. The present figure exemplifies this change in taste.

The sheaf of grain functions as a meaningful attribute, identifying the figure as a rural or agricultural type. In European visual culture, grain was associated with harvest, fertility, and abundance, and frequently appeared in representations of laborers and market figures. It could also allude more broadly to the allegory of Autumn, one of the Four Seasons, although in Delftware such references were typically suggestive rather than strictly codified.

Small genre figures of this kind were inspired by German porcelain models, themselves often based on printed sources. The influential Meissen Cris de Paris series, designed by Peter Reinicke in 1753 after drawings by Christoph Huet, provided important prototypes. Whereas porcelain figures tend to convey a refined elegance inherent to the medium, Delftware genre figures emphasize a more informal, folkloric character, marked by humor and immediacy.

The figure reflects the rococo aesthetic that spread across Europe during the reign of Louis XV. Although rococo was not a native Dutch style, its playful forms and decorative appeal were readily integrated into Dutch interiors. Displayed on mantelpieces, console tables, or in cabinets, figures such as this combined symbolic resonance with decorative charm, embodying a distinctly Dutch interpretation of contemporary European taste.