Gouda pottery wall charger, 41 cm wide, featuring irisses, period 1899–1901

Description

This wall charger was produced by the Dutch pottery factory Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland from Gouda between 1899 and 1901. It is a large piece, measuring 41 cm or 16,2 inch in diameter. It is painted with a beautiful iris design set against a midnight-blue background. The sweeping lines of the design are striking and characteristic of the Art Nouveau period, as is the colour palette of dark blue, purple, yellow, and turquoise, typical of early Dutch Gouda pottery. The object has several marks on the back. You can clearly read the words “made in Zuid-Holland” and the factory logo (the Lazarus Gate). Also visible is the signature of Dirk Verhaar (DV), who worked at the Gouda pottery factory from 1898 until early 1902. Another notable feature is the stamp of the German pottery manufacturer Waechtersbacher Steingutwerke, from which Zuid-Holland imported the unpainted plates. The letter “U” in this stamp indicates the year 1899. We therefore know exactly when the plate was manufactured, though unfortunately not precisely when Dirk Verhaar applied the hand painted decoration. Though it must have been prior to his departure from the Gouda factory in April 1902.
The wall charger has a few imperfections. There are two very shallow chips (impact marks) on the rim, as well as two firing flaws on the front: one within the flower design and one on the rim. Some shallow hairline cracks are visible on the back, though fortunately these do not extend through to the front.