Royal Delft Inkstand

This is a beautiful piece of Delftware (specifically tin-glazed earthenware). It is an ornate inkstand featuring two inkwells with removable lids, a central pen/nib dip, a rear quill tray, and integrated quill rests.

The Maker: Royal Delft (De Porceleyne Fles)

The marks on the bottom confirm that this piece was made by De Porceleyne Fles (The Porcelain Jar), which is the only remaining original Delft factory from the 17th century still operating today. It is known globally as Royal Delft.

• The “Jar” Logo: The stylized pharmacy jar at the top of the mark is the signature logo of the factory.
• The Monogram “JT”: These are the initials of Joost Thooft, who bought the factory in 1876 and is credited with reviving the quality of hand-painted Delftware.
• Impressed Mark “JT&L”: At the very bottom edge of the piece, you can see an impressed “JT&L.” This stands for Joost Thooft & Labouchere, the partnership name used between 1884 and 1903.

Date of Manufacture: 1899

Royal Delft uses a very specific letter-coding system to date their pieces.

• Year Code: Located directly under the word “Delft” is the letter “U”.
• In the Royal Delft dating system, “U” corresponds to the year 1899.

The Artist

• Painter’s Initials: To the left of the center, the initials “F.D.” are visible.
• These belong to the artist who hand-painted the piece. Based on factory records for that era, “F.D.” is the mark of F. van den Doel, a painter who worked at the factory from 1891 to 1934.

Description

• Material: While often called “Delft Porcelain,” it is technically tin-glazed earthenware (often called Faience). The clay is buff-colored but covered in an opaque white glaze that mimics the look of Chinese porcelain.
• Front Decoration: Two hand-painted vignettes showing classic Dutch landscapes. On the left is a polder landscape with a windmill; on the right is a seascape with traditional sailing vessels (likely botters).
• Rear Decoration: The back of the pen tray features a large, “Delft Blue” floral arrangement, a style influenced by 18th-century Chinese “famille verte” patterns but translated into blue and white.
• Architectural Features: Inkwells: Two circular wells with matching domed lids topped with blue finials.
  • Handle: An arched central handle for moving the stand across a desk.
  • Quill Rests: Two “X” shaped rests at the rear corners, designed to hold a quill or pen horizontally while the ink is wet.
  • The Base: The base features a “diaper” or lattice pattern, which provides a nice geometric contrast to the organic floral and landscape scenes.

Summary

• What: A Royal Delft (De Porceleyne Fles) hand-painted inkstand.
• Where: Delft, Netherlands.
• When: 1899.
• Who: Painted by F. van den Doel under the ownership of Joost Thooft & Labouchere.

This is a high-quality “revival era” piece. Because it is hand-painted (not a transfer print) and fully marked, it is considered a significant piece of Dutch ceramic history.