Royal Delft

If you are looking for authentic Delftware this is the place. Other places you may end up with Made in China goods. Bought a nice flower vase.

I am not a huge fan of pottery because I am not a tchotchke collector in general but since «The Royal Delft Experience» was free with the iAmsterdamn card, I figure, «What the hell?» When I entered the store for a ticket, the cashier must have noticed I was neurotic because prior to giving me the ticket and directing me downstairs and to the left side of the store, she told me that the multimedia presentation explaining the history of Royal Delt was in a dustyish basement and that the door would lock behind me as I would be the only patron in there. Sounds safe, right?
I did not freak when being locked in a basement and the video explaining the history of the company was interesting. Royal Delft has been creating blue and white pottery (initially in the town of Delft) since the 17^th century after the supply of Chinese pottery and earthenware had been interrupted between that national and the Netherlands in 1620. All of the Delft pieces are handmade and interestingly enough the artists hired by the company to draw ornate patterns on the Delft pieces do not require any specific education but must be talented enough to duplicate the company’s host of pattens.
Once the video concluded I was allowed in the back of the store where an artist was hand painting designs on a plate. Even though she was quite focused, she was able to answer many of my questions. One of the more notable Delft pieces are the ornate tulip cases which look almost like smaller versions of East Asian pagoda houses. The Rijksmuseum has Delft pieces dating back to the 17^th century so I knew that in addition to the cameos of Dutch artists, plates depicting the shipping ports from the Dutch Golden age and expensively ornate tulip vases located in the store, Royal Delft also produced volins made of their pottery with their designs.
Inherently, I am not a huge pottery fan but the hand-​sized porcelain windmills and small mirror with a came of «The Girl with the Pearl Earring» on the outside spoke to me, so buying a few of those at 8 Euros a piece were more than worth the money. The store also ships their wares internationally, but the cashier told me shipping to my neck of the woods would cost upwards of $ 100 which would cost more than the pieces themselves, do I declined. I would definitely return to this store next time I am in Amsterdam.

I’m not a real pottery/​china enthusiast but my wife is so I went. The tour is actually very interesting and informative. Worth the trip. You actually get to see real workers making the pottery from start to finish. Of course the tour ends in the sales shop but getting there is pretty interesting. They have a café on site. PS — get the discount card at the TI in town. It gets you 25% off the tour fee and 10% off your first Delft purchase.

An amazing little store with so many options for buying delft pottery (y’know, the blue and white stuff!)
Store owner is adorable, we wraps each piece in tissue and cardboard
Take a peak and see what you like!

Bought a bunch of cool royal Delf stuff official stuff. Becarefull if you want the official stuff you need to buy it at a store like this and get an official certificate. The stuff you buy in tourist shops are knock offs made in china.

One of the flagship stores offering the option to buy the Royal Delft pottery!