De Candelaer – Genuine Handpainted Delftware

De Candelaer is a small factory in the centre of Delft which still produces her own pottery, everything is still painted by hand. Besides the traditional Delftware we also produce our own jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings in traditional and modern style.

De Candelaer has started in 1975 by Jan Stillebroer† and Ineke Stillebroer-Godefroy† and they produced until the end of 2006. De Candelaer is now owned by Steffan Delfos, he is a fourth generation potter with 45 years of experience in his trade. He is responsible for the production of the pottery, glazing and firing of the delftware. Anna is a master painter and has a painting experience for more than 50 years and Shirly is our new talent and specialized in making handpainted delft jewelry like bracelets, earrings, rings and necklaces.

Each article is entirely handpainted and has initials from the painter and the potter and the code for the year of production. all items are produced in our factory and they come with two certificates. One from the factory and one from the Chamber of Commerce Delft, they give you the guarantee that each item is produced and painted in our factory in Delft.

Delft Blue

Delft Blue is the world-famous pottery that has been produced in the city of Delft since the 17th century. Between 1600 and 1800, it was popular among rich families who would show off their Delft Blue collections to one another.

Although the Delftware potters preferred to call their pottery “porcelain”, it was only a cheaper version of the real Chinese porcelain. Delft Blue was not made from the typical porcelain clay, but from clay that was coated with a tin glaze after it was fired. In spite of this, Delft Blue achieved unrivalled popularity, and at its peak, there were 33 factories in Delft.

Click to see the production process

Our Products

Our store

Our store is located in the exquisite medieval centre of Delft. Delft is a hugely popular Dutch day-trip destination, with visitors flocking to stroll its narrow, canal-lined streets, gazing at the remarkable architecture. Delft is synonymous with its famous Delftware, the distinctive blue-and-white pottery originally duplicated from Chinese porcelain by 17th-century artisans.

Founded around 1100, Delft grew rich from weaving and trade in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the 15th century a canal was dug to the Maas river, and the small port there, Delfshaven, was eventually absorbed by Rotterdam. Today it has a thriving university which is renowned for its architecture faculty.