Before porcelain became commonplace, tin-glazed earthenware was, for a time, the preferred material for home use, made into fashionable tableware and ornaments. The golden age of tin-glazed products was the 1700s, with more than 300 workshops throughout Europe. By the end of the century, tin glaze wares had practically been driven out by Chinese and European porcelain and the cheaper English creamware. Today, we still find the beauty of tin-glazed earthenware compelling with its brilliant white glaze and decorations in bright, intense colours, although details of original use and significance may be obscure.

This book recounts the story of tin-glazed earthenware with special focus on the production in the Netherlands, France and Germany. It is the first publication of its kind in Denmark since Emil Hannover wrote Keramisk Haandbog (Pottery & Porcelain: A Handbook for Collectors) almost a hundred years ago. Much has happened in ceramics research since then, and this survey and the author’s conclusions are based on recent research in the field.

Commentaries are based on Designmuseum Danmark’s large collection of faience, the most extensive and finest in Denmark with magnificent pieces collected over a period of 125 years. The book contains detailed descriptions of the tin glaze production techniques and decoration of the finished wares with anything from naturalistic floral decorations to the blue decorations inspired by Chinese porcelain, and it outlines how new types of tableware – including large tureens, sauce boats, wine coolers, and special dessert tableware – were gaining ground on well-laid tables. Finally, it describes the distribution of tin glaze wares and how ceramicists would travel from one factory to the next, thus quickly spreading new fashion trends.

The catalogue raisonné contains more than 250 items, most of which are described and photographed for the first time. The publication was made possible with generous support from the New Carlsberg Foundation.