delftware

Term used in England for a once-fired pottery object dipped in a slurry made up of a glossy lead glaze made opaque by the addition of tin oxide. A design is painted on in blue, yellow, and other colours, and then fired. This ware was produced throughout Europe from about the 12th century onwards, but it was not until 1584 that it was made at the Dutch town of Delft. Its manufacture was introduced into England by Dutch potters about 1575 and it was made at three main centres: Lambeth (London), Bristol, and Liverpool. The Old English name for this ware was ‘gallyware’.