Blue pottery is famous for its unique, clay-free composition—using quartz powder instead of clay—and its vibrant, cobalt-blue, turquoise, and white color palette inspired by Persian and Chinese designs. Primarily associated with Jaipur, India and Delft, Netherlands, this fragile, hand-painted art form gained fame for its intricate floral and geometric motifs, historical significance, and, in India, its revival by Kripal Singh Shekhawat.
The absence of clay is what distinguishes blue pottery from traditional pottery. The materials used to make blue pottery are quartz stone powder, powdered glass, borax, gum, and Multani mitti (fuller's earth). They are kneaded into a dough by mixing together and adding water.
Blue Pottery is a famed traditional craft from Jaipur, Rajasthan It is known for its striking blue colours and beautiful floral and geometric designs. The distinctive feature of Blue pottery is the blue dye used to colour it, which is made from cobalt oxide.
The distinctive colour in blue-glazed pottery and porcelain comes from cobalt ores imported from Persia, which were a scarce ingredient at the time and used in only limited quantities.
What is the most sought after blue mountain pottery?
The angelfish was popular from about 1955 to 1986. Listed in a late 1950s catalogue at $12, it was the most expensive item made by Blue Mountain Pottery at the time.
Before the company closed in 2004, they were producing pottery in the traditional green finish as well as cobalt blue, brown and red. Today, Blue Mountain Pottery can be found in antique shops as well as second-hand and thrift stores.
Kripal Singh Shekhawat (1922 – 15 February 2008) was a renowned craftsman and ceramist of India. He was famous for his skills in Blue Pottery of Jaipur and is credited for the revival of that art in India.
Kripal Singh Shekhawat, fondly remembered as the father of blue pottery, helped revive this fading heritage craft. He breathed new life into the art form by introducing innovative shades like green, yellow, and brown into the creations.
As a collector, you need to be very conscious of some replica Blue Mountain Pottery items. It's authentic if it has their initials “BMP Canada” and three triangle trees embossed on the bottom. It could also have a blue-and-white tag affixed by string or a rounded sticker, which is also blue-and-white.
Delftware or Delft pottery, also known as Delft Blue (Dutch: Delfts blauw) or as delf, is a general term now used for Dutch tin-glazed earthenware, a form of faience.
The pottery capital of the UK is Stoke-on-Trent, affectionately known worldwide as "The Potteries," a region famous for its centuries-old ceramics industry, iconic bottle ovens, renowned museums, factory shops, and brands like Wedgwood and Emma Bridgewater. This city in Staffordshire became the center for British pottery due to abundant local clay and coal, fostering innovation and a global reputation for high-quality ceramics.
The Delft Blue decor is painted with a dye mixture that largely consists of cobalt oxide according to a centuries-old recipe. Due to chemical reactions during the baking process, the painted pattern changes color from black to the iconic blue.
Which city is known for its distinctive blue-and-white pottery?
Delft, Netherlands Delft, a canal-ringed city in the western Netherlands, is known as the manufacturing base for Delftware, hand- painted blue-and-white pottery.
European pottery, like Royal Delft china or Meissen pottery from Germany, are also great pieces to look out for if you'd like to add value to your collection. One thing to note is that while these large names are desirable, your pottery doesn't have to be made by one of these manufacturers to be worth money.
Jaipur, India's "Pink City," is famous for its stunning terracotta-pink architecture, magnificent forts (like Amber Fort), intricate palaces (Hawa Mahal, City Palace), astronomical observatory (Jantar Mantar), vibrant bazaars (Johari Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar), rich royal heritage, and traditional Rajasthani culture, textiles, jewelry, and cuisine, making it a key part of India's Golden Triangle tourist circuit.
The name 'blue pottery' comes from the eye-catching cobalt blue dye used to color the pottery. The colour palette is restricted to blue derived from the cobalt oxide, and white, though other non-conventional colours, such as yellow and brown are sometimes included.
The Blue Mountains have been inhabited for millennia by the Gundungurra people, now represented by the Gundungurra Tribal Council Aboriginal Corporation based in Katoomba, and, in the lower Blue Mountains, by the Darug people, now represented by the Darug Tribal Aboriginal Corporation.
To tell if pottery is valuable, check for maker's marks, artist signatures, age (look for patina/wear on base), rarity (limited runs), quality (smooth glaze, detailed hand-painting), condition (chips/cracks reduce value), and popularity (demand for specific styles/eras). Research online auction results for similar pieces and consider an expert appraisal for significant finds, as these factors together determine market worth.
Kripal Singh came from a famous cricketing family. His father A. G. Ram Singh was unlucky not to play for India, his brother Milkha Singh was a Test cricketer, and another brother, two sons, his daughter and a nephew all played first-class cricket. He was an attacking batsman and a useful off spin bowler.
Quartz Stone Powder is the key ingredient that distinguishes Blue Pottery from others which are generally clay-based. Glass Powder is combined with the quartz powder for the base material, and is also used for the glazing solution. Fuller's Earth (Multani Mitti) is what's used to bind the mixture.
Klein was a pioneer in the development of performance art, and is seen as an inspiration to and as a forerunner of minimal art, as well as pop art. He developed and used International Klein Blue.
