Featured Delft Jewellery Resource

Not a question for once but for anyone researching Delft Jewellery this site is fantastic and they are very helpful,much like yourselves!

http://www.verwoerdceramics.com/

From the information on it I was able get an idea for a date for my brooch but I wasn’t sure. They have a help desk email address and someone got back to me within a few hours with lots of information.

Thank you so much for your inquiry. Your brooch has been made by Studio Van Katwijk in the mid 1950s. Studio Van Katwijk was established in Gouda, Netherlands, in 1946. Unfortunately founder Frans van Katwijk passed away in 1952. In 1958 his successors decided to replace hand painting by screen printing. Your brooch is hand painted and has been made between 1952 and 1958. The signature on the back is V.K. for Van Katwijk, and Delfts Holland for the style and the country of origin. There is no painters mark. Van Katwijk ceased its production in 1999.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Kind regards, Leo
Verwoerd Ceramics Online

 

Wonderful! A nice thoughtful comprehensive response! Thank you, Leo Verwoerd!

 

Yes, he gets the gold star today!

 

Thank you! Great resource.

 

@KSW Thank you! I just purchased a delft piece and had no idea how to even start figuring out who/what/where.

 

Glad to help

 

@KSW I got my piece polished up and I sent the pics in. Here is what they said:

Thank you so much for your inquiry. When discussing a Delft pendant it is important to remind ourselves that Delft is not a factory, it is a style. In the 17th century, in the city of Delft, there have been several different potteries that made an earthenware equivalent of blue Chinese porcelain. So blue Delft (“Delfts blauw”) was named after the city of origin. However there have been other Dutch cities where Delft pottery was made, such as Amsterdam, and Gouda.

Your cabochon has been made by the Van Katwijk Studio of Gouda. It is relatively simple rendering of a Dutch windmill, but is is hand painted nevertheless. Founder Frans van Katwijk started his studio in 1946, immediately after WW2. He was the first to specialize in hand painted Delft cabochons. Van Katwijk passed away in1952. His successors raised production, and also started using silk screen printing in 1958. This means that your pendant is before 1958 and probably after 1952.

It is impossible to tell with certainty what metal has been used, but it looks like silver to me. I think there may be a silver mark and/or a makers mark on the closed loop of the heart shaped pendant. Silver filigree settings are traditionally made in the city Schoonhoven, near Gouda, and silver quality applied is usually 835/1000 (small Sterling). However, the thin filigree curls are often made of 925/1000 silver (Sterling) because it is softer and easier to work with.

 

@BMRT
What a nice reply.
Can you post a picture of your piece.

 

They give very good responses to queries and in such detail.

 

@clutteredcloset49 yes, here it is:



Don’t mind the glare.

 

Very nice, thank you. Also appreciate you showing how the ceramic was marked.
Interesting that he thinks it might be silver. I wouldn't have thought so from the picture. The metal has too much shine.
Were you able to find a silver mark?

 

I polished it. It was a grey/black when it arrived. I also did a scratch test and it was positive for at least 800 silver.

I’m going to go over it with my loupe later for a makers mark but I’m not holding out for silver marks. The research site online said these are mostly unmarked and often unsigned.

 

I would check both sides of these circled (sort of ) areas for marks ... or any other flattened area on the jump-rings.

 

I agree, Dutch marks are tiny.

That Leo guy deserves a medal for his replies.

 

Go Leo!