Tile - Polychrome - 1590 - 1620 - Early Tegel

Early polychrome Dutch majolica tile with a flower vase – ca. 1590–1620 – 1.4 cm thick.

Being offered is a very early polychrome Dutch wall tile, presumably from the late 16th or early 17th century. The tile is executed in multicolored majolica/tinglaze and shows a decorative flower vase with two handles, from which a stylized bouquet of flowers rises.

The central scene is set within a yellow rhombus-shaped surround, with in the four outer corners bold French lilies in cobalt blue. The combination of polychrome colors, ornamentation and the heavy execution give the tile a clearly early character.

The tile has a strikingly thick format of about 1.4 cm, with a reddish-brown glaze misfired glaze (scherf). This is a feature well-suited to early Dutch tiles, although a precise production site cannot be determined with certainty based on a single example. Haarlem or Rotterdam are possible early production centers.

Probable origin and dating
Probable origin: Netherlands
Possible production centers: Haarlem or Rotterdam
Probable dating: circa 1590–1620
Period: late 16th / early 17th century
Material and technique
Polychrome tin-glaze earthenware / early majolica
Reddish-brown glaze shard
Hand-painted
Cobalt blue, yellow/ochre, orange and copper green
Dimensions: circa 13 × 13 cm
Thickness: circa 1.4 cm

The photographs are an integral part of this description. Please view all photographs carefully for the exact condition and details of the tile.