De Porceleyne Fles (Royal Delft)

The last surviving of the great 17th-century faience workshops in Delft. Still makes hand-painted blue and white delftware.

De Porceleyne Fles began as one of many faience workshops in Delft that imitated Chinese porcelain. When competition from English creamware grew, most of them closed, but De Porceleyne Fles survived.

Joost Thooft took over in 1876 and renewed production. In 1919 the factory was granted the right to call itself Royal, and it still makes hand-painted blue-and-white faience in Delft.

A mark with a jug, the word Delft and the painter’s initials; from 1879 a letter code for the year.

• Ceramics and porcelain