Delft Blue Tin-Glazed Earthenware Tile with Putto

Name: Delft Blue Tin-Glazed Earthenware Tile with Putto
Brand: Johan
Availability: LimitedAvailability

A vintage square Dutch Delft tile with a blue hand-painted seated putto blowing a trumpet and spider corner motifs on a white tin-glaze surface. - view 1

1/3

Estimated value

$85 - $175

Rarity

Average(4/10)

DELFT BLUE TIN-GLAZED EARTHENWARE TILE WITH PUTTO: IDENTIFICATION

Hand-painted tin-glazed earthenware (Delftware) wall tile featuring a central blue monochrome putto playing a horn. The figure is flanked by traditional 'ox-head' or 'spider' corner motifs. The reverse reveals a coarse, buff-colored earthenware body consistent with 17th or 18th-century Dutch fabrication, approximately 13 cm by 13 cm in size with a thickness of roughly 8-10 mm.

Compare with other ceramic pieces in the archive: Delft Tin-Glazed Earthenware Tile, Alabaster Urn-Shaped Vase, Han Dynasty Style Glazed Ceramic Boar Figurine.

PRODUCTION & FIRING

Production of these tiles peaked in the Netherlands between 1640 and 1740, specifically in centers like Delft, Rotterdam, and Makkum. The putto or 'cherub' motif was a staple of Baroque decorative arts, often used in large fireplace surrounds or kitchen wall installations. The transition from polychrome to cobalt blue occurred as Dutch potters sought to imitate Chinese Wanli porcelain imported by the VOC (Dutch East India Company).

COLLECTOR NOTES

The 13 cm square format became the industry standard in the 1600s because it maximized kiln space efficiency for standard wood-fired ovens.

SCARCITY

Average55-70%

CommonLegendary

Typical antique shop fare. Requires some searching but regularly available. This is where most genuine antiques fall.

Rarity 4/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 101 ceramics items at rarity 4 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

Standard antique shop items
Regularly available
Moderate collector interest

Confidence Factors

Visible pin-holes from production templates consistent with period technique
Body paste color and thickness align with 17th/18th century Dutch clay sources
Wear patterns on the edges show natural oxidation of the earthenware

How does authenticity detection work?

CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT

Ceramics Historian & Kiln Specialist

Ceramics Expert

The evidence of the coarse earthenware body, specific corner motifs, and glaze crazing provides a high degree of certainty for a Southern Netherlands origin in the late 17th or early 18th century.

KEY EVIDENCE

1Presence of pin-holes in the tin-glaze surface
2Buff-colored, porous earthenware 'biscuit' visible at chipped edges
3Stylized 'spider' corner motifs consistent with 18th-century production
4Standardized 13cm dimensions

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

→Measure thickness accurately: 8mm-10mm supports an older date; thinner tiles are often 19th-century reproductions.
→Examine edges for mortar remains, which confirms it was once installed in a period interior.
→Check for a 'tap' sound; a high-pitched ring suggests a denser, later body, while a dull 'thud' confirms soft earthenware.

CONDITION & GRADE

Good (Grade 3/5)

Grading breakdown

Frequent edge losses and minor surface pitting are standard for excavated or salvaged tiles; the absence of through-cracks maintains its structural value.

Condition

Significant edge chipping (fritting) reveals the underlying buff earthenware body. Surface showcases authentic age-related crazing and scattered staining, though the central figure remains 90% intact.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$85 - $175

Updated: May 11, 2026

Who buys this

Specialist Dutch Delftware collectors and interior designers seeking authentic period accents for historical restoration projects.

What increases value

•Clarity and charm of the central figural motif
•Rarity of specific character types (soldiers or musicians often command a 20% premium over landscapes)
•General structural integrity and lack of professional restoration