Delftware has been made in England since the sixteenth century, when floor files and drag pots were produced in Aldgate, London by immigrant potters from the Low Countries. Once called `galleyware', this type of pottery came to be known as delftware after the Dutch town of Delft which was renowned for its manufacture. This stunning book introduces a magnificent selection of English and Irish delftware drawn from the British Museum's important collection. In the early seventeenth century factories making dishes and other wares were set up in London close to the River Thames, their products initially influenced by Italian majolica and subsequently by Chinese porcelain. Manufacture spread from London to Bristol, Liverpool and Dublin. Delftware was made for many domestic uses: for eating and drinking, for pharmaceutical and hygienic purposes, and not infrequently for display. It was usually decorated by hand with painted inscriptions, coats-of-arms or splendid scenes – mainly biblical, allegorical or pastoral – or else in imitation Chinese style. Delftware continued to be made in centres all over the British Isles and in Ireland until the early nineteenth century, enjoying almost 300 years of continuous production. The British Museum collection of delftware is one of the finest in the world. It is especially notable for the number of pieces bearing dates and for those which document historical personages and events. "English & irish Delftware 1570-1840" from Aileen Dawson features more than 185 items from this extensive collection and includes pieces which have never before been published in colour.
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