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Antique 17thC Dutch Delft Tile Pair 2 Delftware Blue White Wan-Li Goat 1620-1650
• Condition: Used (Pre-owned antique with period-accurate wear, glaze fritting, and edge chipping. See description and photos for details.)
• Type: Wall Tile / Fireplace Tile
• Primary Material: Ceramic & Porcelain (Earthenware / Tin-glazed)
• Age: Pre-1800 (Circa 1620–1650)
• Color: Blue and White
• Original/Reproduction: Original Antique
• Country/Region of Origin: Netherlands (Holland)
• Production Technique: Delftware / Tin-Glazed Earthenware
Item Description
Title: Pair of Authentic 17th Century Dutch Delftware Tiles – Whimsical Goat Motifs with Wan-Li Borders (c. 1620–1650)
Description:
Up for sale or sale is a rare, matching pair of genuine 17th-century antique Dutch Delft ceramic tiles.
Dating from the Golden Age of Dutch tile-making (roughly 1620–1650), these pieces showcase the charming, naive animal artistry characteristic of early production centers like Rotterdam or Delft.
Design & Iconography:
• Central Subject: Each tile features a beautifully hand-painted cobalt blue goat/ibex figure set within a delicate accolade (double-lined medallion) frame. The animals are depicted in dynamic, whimsical poses standing atop classic dotted mounds of grass.
• Wan-Li Corners: The corners are decorated with intricate geometric patterns known as Wan-Li corners. This highly collectible motif was designed to imitate imported Chinese Ming Dynasty porcelain brought over by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) during the early 1600s.
Material & Authenticity Markers:
• Dimensions: Each tile measures approximately 5 inches by 5 inches (approx. 13 cm x 13 cm), which is the standard historical size for tiles of this specific era.
• The Clay Body: The reverses feature the textbook coarse, handmade yellowish-buffy to pinkish-gray earthenware clay. One tile shows darker carbon/mortar patina from centuries of installation, while both retain their clean, unglazed clay profile.
• Hand-Cut Edges: The side profiles beautifully show the heavy, coarse thickness and characteristic hand-pressed, beveled edge trimming common to early 17th-century wooden molds.
• Glaze Profile: The milky-white background is a true tin-glaze, exhibiting a gorgeous, authentic fine network of stress cracks (craquelure) and subtle organic discoloration deep within the glaze fractures that only comes with hundreds of years of natural aging.
Condition Report:
Both tiles are in remarkable antique condition for being nearly 400 years old. They display expected, period-accurate wear, including edge chips, glaze "fritting" along the borders, and typical corner loss from when they were salvaged from an early fireplace or wall installation. There are no modern structural repairs or restorations.
***Please review the high-resolution photos carefully as they serve as the primary visual description of condition.***
These make an incredible addition to any early ceramics collection or a stunning historical accent piece for a mantle, display frame, or historic home renovation.
