Delft Blue is famous, but similar pottery was also made in Amsterdam in the 18th century.
A new exhibition at the Stadsarchief will show this largely forgotten history for the first time.
The story begins with sailmaker Arie Blankers (1707-1787), who built a theatre at Overtoom 295.
When the wooden theatre burned down in the summer of 1754, he built the Blankenburg pottery factory on the same site.
A factory that rivalled Delft
Blankenburg quickly built a good reputation, and its products matched those from Delft.
It made everyday tableware such as plates and cups, as well as ornate decorative pieces, some of which are now in the Rijksmuseum collection.
When the building was demolished in 1970, archaeologists found large amounts of pottery on the site: misfired pieces, items fused together, unglazed half-finished work and finished products.
Some were marked AB, Blankers’ initials.
Exhibition and programme
The exhibition follows research by the city’s Monuments and Archaeology Bureau.
Amsterdams Blauw: van misbaksels tot topstukken runs from Saturday 10 October to Sunday 1 November in the Stadsarchief hall, and entry is free.
It also shows decorative plates with Amsterdam themes from the collection of artist Koos Buster.
Archaeologist Ranjith Jayasena and pottery specialist Nina Jaspers give talks on the collection on Saturday 10 October and Saturday 24 October at 15:00.
On Saturday 17 October, from 13:00 to 16:00, artist Wolf Hekkema leads a workshop where visitors make their own Amsterdam Blue tile.
On Friday 30 October, from 16:00 to 16:30, Koos Buster hosts a meet and greet about his plates.
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