The White Glaze of Delft Blue: A Comparative Study of Historical Recipes for the White Tin Glaze Used in Delftware and Other Dutch Tin-glazed Earthenware During Their Heyday (c. 1600–1800)

This research intends to enhance our understanding of the tin-glaze technology employed in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Delftware and other tin-glazed earthenware in the Netherlands. The study provides a detailed description of the raw materials utilised in Dutch tin glazes and offers a schematic overview of the production process. Additionally, 39 dated historical recipes for tin glazes are used to compare and interpret changes in the quantities of raw materials within a temporal context. Weight percentages of raw materials – estimated for the final glaze – reveal significant changes over time. The study shows that changes over time mirror the rise and decline of the Dutch tin-glazed earthenware industry, reflecting economic shifts. Most tin - the costliest glaze material – was utilised between c. 1680 and c. 1720, and the highest glaze qualities were reported during this period, marking the peak of the Dutch earthenware production. Towards the end of the heyday, a decrease in tin usage coincides with mentions of lower glaze qualities. The superior glaze quality of Delftware tin glazes compared to tin-glazes of other tin-glazed earthenware in the Netherlands could not be traced back to specific formulations. Other factors, such as the quality of raw materials, likely contributed to the perceived visual superiority.