dan long

Can anyone advise me where to look for reasonably priced pieces of old delft in amsterdam,markets antique shops whatever.<BR>hope you can help

JohnL

"Reasonably priced" may be difficult. Even over where they make it, it can be very expensive, especially the older pieces. There is a road just north of the Rijksmuseum that has lots of shops, try there.

Wayne

Or you can just go over to the city of Delft and look around. There's lots to choose from in the shops there, and it's an interesting city.

John

I'd have to second JohnL's point. It's often the case that collectible items cost more near their source than elsewhere, because the local market is more savvy about the product. Rugs in Iran were way more expensive than the same rug in London, for example. <BR><BR>I would definitely scour e-bay or other auction sources before taking on antique dealers in Holland.

Jackie

Delf has a large fea market every Sat.<BR>

DAN LONG

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply ,your probaly right when you say that it may be more expensive at source we usually think its going to be cheaper,Im going to be in Amsterdam for only three days in August is Delft worth the trip ? I like the idea of the flea market.Thanks again for the tips, best regards Dan.

John

I think Delft is absolutely worth the trip, very picturesque and cozy compared to Amsterdam - around an hour on the train from Centraal Station. If you can't make the Saturday flea market, the big public market (food, etc.) is on Thursdays in the main square. You can tour the Delft factory and have your mind blown by the prices in the factory shop.

dan long

John thanks for the info on Delft based on what you said I think I will try and go,having my mind blown does that mean the factory shop is expensive or cheap , I expect its expensive.<BR><BR>Regards Dan.

AC

Dan:<BR>I was pleasantly surprised when I went to Delft. First at how small it was and how reasonable the prices were. The pieces I purchased were lovely. I did not go with the tradtional blue but a multicolored design which is lovely. The town is very worth a visit, enjoy!

Helen

Hi Dan, I am not a collector but your inquiry reminded me of my short trip to Delft which is absolutely charming! It was part of a day long tour from Amsterdam which also included Rotterdam, the Hague, the beaches,and that outside park which is a miniature village (can't remember the name). Go and enjoy.<BR><BR>Helen

Delft

Years ago, when I was in Holland, there was a particular kind of Delftware that was a lot more expensive. I didn't buy it because I was on a budget, but I remember that I loved it. It was like a fine china and began with the letter "W". Maybe someone here knows about it. It was sold in the shop at our hotel and I think in a large china shop on the main shopping street of Amsterdam. Hope this helps.

karen

We spent a lovely day and night in Delft last summer. Purchased some antique souvenirs in a wonderful shop just off the main square, called De Porcelijne Lampetkan. Here is the owner's website: http://www.antieketegels.nl/<BR>Enjoy!<BR><BR>Mr. van Geenen was very helpful and informative and had a great shop - plenty of nice things to bring home. I even followed up with an additional purchase last month, via email and fax.

jenviolin

Hi dan,<BR>I live in Delft and buying Delftware is just like buying any other 'collectible' or 'antique' product: if you want the genuine stuff, or you want it to increase in value, you should stick to a reputable dealer or shop unless you are an expert yourself. In Delft, that means de Porcelijne Fles, de Delftse Pauw, (two 'factories' with showrooms and factory tours; they also have shops on the Market square) or De Candelaer (this one is right next to the New Church in the center of town). De Porcelijne Lampetkan is good for antique stuff but it's not necessarily better or worth more than the new pieces, which are traditional anyway and come with a certificate of authenticity.<BR><BR>If, however, you just want a piece you love and don't care if it increases in value, or even 'holds' its value, there are plenty of shops in Delft & Amsterdam. Beware of the phrase 'handmade' - plenty of shops will tell you things are handmade but they are not. Or barely. Even if it says 'handmade Delftware' in lovely script underneath the vase, dish or siamese cat, it's often not. For the best information, take a free tour at one of the 'factories' and showrooms listed above. The first two are out of the center of Delft but absolutely worth the 20-minutes' walk or $6 taxi ride if you're interested in Delftware. You'll learn a lot about how to judge quality for yourself. Tip: some of the good showrooms sell seconds with miniscule faults at a big discount. The flea market 'antique market' on Saturdays is only in spring and summer and hasn't started yet as of this message; it will probably start on April 20 or 27 and run through late September. It's a great place to see junk and treasures and the setting is charming, but don't expect to get a great deal on antique Delftware! The sellers, easygoing as they may be, are there to make a profit, just like anywhere else. This is even more true of the Waterlooplein flea market in Amsterdam. If it's worth anything, they'll sell it directly to an antique shop, not risk having it broken at a flea market.

DAN lONG

Its very kind of you to keep replying ,I havent used this site before and am so pleased with all the responses,thank you to jen in delft it was great to hear from someone who actually lives there,thanks for your informed advice I will be following it up.<BR>Best Regards Dan.<BR>

xxx

We bought some nice Delftware (modern, not antique) at the "Blue Tulip" store on the Markt. The woman who runs the store was painting some pieces at the time and explained a little bit about Delftware to us. She has a beautifully made bench outside. We looked at several shops in that general area and thought her work was the best quality. It cost a little more, but we thought it was worth it, especially since we had a chance to meet with the artist herself. If you are looking for a cafe in the Markt area, the one with the large lighted Grolsch sign had an excellent selection of beers on tap and the staff were very friendly and relaxed. JenViolin, if you know the name of that pub, please pass it on--a friend was asking me about it and I just can't remember the name.<BR>

Keith Parker

I suppose like anything else, you just have to be in the right place at the right time. For example, I found a lovely Delft plate in the large antiques market in Paris earlier in the year. I too am going to Amsterdam later this year and hope to find something "Delft" to take home and I would think a trip to Delft itself would be a good idea. Happy hunting.

Travis

I am going to Amsterdam in a few weeks, and now you all have me curious. What is Delft?

jenviolin

Travis, don't get me started again! Just kidding.<BR>'Delft' is a charming 750+ year-old town about 65 km south of Amsterdam, between The Hague and Rotterdam, 100,000 inhabitants but you'd never guess that many; world-famous Technical University; famous sons Johannes Vermeer and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, both buried in the Old Church; one of the 6 cities who were partners in the Dutch East India Company (VOC) founded in 1602. <BR>'Delftware' or 'Delft Blue' is the catch-all name for a kind of traditional pottery or porcelain that was made in Delft originally in imitation of Chinese porcelain brought back by the VOC ships. It became world-famous in its own right and has remained a popular (tourist) symbol of Delft and the Netherlands. Originally blue and white, there are lots of interesting variations: burnt sienna & white, dark blue & white, multicolored with black, and polychromatic. If you like Delftware and you are coming to Delft, check out these three places:<BR>Museum Lambert van Meerten on the street Oude Delft: mind-boggling collection of old tiles and antique Delftware<BR>Terra Keramiek, shop on the street Nieuwstraat: contemporary ceramics with some brilliant modern variations on the theme Delftware (check out the Tulip Vase by Frans Ottink and the low curved vase by Dirk Romijn!)<BR>The Delft train station: the inside is tiled with -what else - Delft Blue!

Travis

Jenviolin - Thank you so much for the education on Delfware and the city. I have now decided I am going to go there for a day as well, when I am in Holland, only 4 more weeks!! Thank you again, I love learning about new things and cultures!

karen

(jenviolin - what a nice email "name")<BR><BR>My purchase at De Porcelijne Lampetkan was from the de Porcelijne Fles' "liberation tile" (cloisonne technique) series produced just after WW2 to commemorate events of the war - and half the price of the exact same tile we'd seen in an antique shop in Amsterdam (and did not buy)! Of course, very different than the usual "delftware". We also found a very inexpensive old engraving of an ancestor's birth-town in Zeeland, which we explored after Delft. Loved our trip to the entire country.