Polish Pottery

Polish Pottery is well suited for all of those “bring out the fine china” occasions, but is also designed to be durable and functional enough for everyday use.

Boleslawiec (Bunzlauer) Stoneware started as local folk art hundreds of years ago in the German province of Silesia. The name Bunzlauer comes from the name of the then German town of Bunzlau, which is now part of Poland and is now the Polish city of Boleslawiec. The city is located on the Bobr River in southwest Poland near the German and Czech border. This region has a history of pottery making since the 7th century. At the end of the 19th century, the potters of Bunzlauer introduced new lines of pottery and began to experiment with colored glazes, sponging techniques, and decorations. The government founded the “Keramische Fachschule” (Ceramic Technical Training School) in 1898 to foster development of the art.

In the early 1900’s, Bunzlauer pottery went through a renaissance that introduced the “Jugendstil” movement, which was the German equivalent of Art Nouveau. The famous “Pfauenauge” or “Peacock’s Eye” became the universally recognized trademark decoration of the sponge-ware. The traditional blue, green, and earth-tone patterns were inspired by the feathers of a peacock. After World War II, the Silesia region was annexed to Poland, and the majority of the German population was expelled. The area was rebuilt after the war, and the pottery factories reopened.

Today, the center of this traditional ceramic art is in the village of Boleslawiec (pronounced “bow-lĕ-suave-ēē-ĕts”). Skilled Polish artists still individually handcraft and hand- decorate each piece using small sea sponges, individually cut by the artist, and stamp, brush, or free-hand each pattern and color onto the pieces individually. Certified Master Artists not only train Apprentice Artists, but produce “Unikat,” Unique, or “Signature,” artist signed, pieces. When an artist achieves the highest level of accomplishment, he or she earns the privilege of creating his or her own work from start to finish and signing it. “Unikat” pieces have colors and/or designs that are individual to each artist, and due to the time involved in making each piece, the supply is very limited. Because they are rare, these pieces command higher prices. Each piece bears the manufacturer’s stamp of authenticity. All products are hand crafted and vary in design, pattern, and color. The primary colors of most patterns will contain the original time-honored cobalt blue. The colors and designs are intentionally created to compliment each other, making them perfect for mixing and matching. Some of the pottery is still sold in Germany as Bunzlau Pottery, while the same products are sold in other markets as Boleslawiec Polish Pottery.

Polish pottery can truly be considered practical art. First, the carefully selected and locally mined white clay is mixed to their own carefully developed specifications. Then a thick, durable clear glaze is used to seal the pieces. And finally, the stoneware is fired at very high temperatures so the clay particles fuse together into strong, highly chip-resistant pieces. Some of the pieces are made by pouring the plaster into gypsum molds to create some of the product shapes. Each piece of pottery is individually removed from its mold and is hand washed by sponges to assure smooth surfaces on the stoneware. Most of the plates and bowls are shaped by hand using the centuries old potter’s spinning wheel. This stoneware is fired in a high temperature kiln. The clays hold and distribute the heat during baking for evenly browned crusts and uniformly cooked casseroles. The terrestrial glazes have been state certified to be 100% lead free, and cadmium free. Polish Pottery is safe to use in the microwave, dishwasher, oven, or freezer, and is flame proof. The use of under-glaze patterns assures that the décor is acid and rub proof. In addition, the pigments are lead free and ecologically safe. Also, the glaze quality and the high temperatures at which the pottery is fired results in surfaces with very low porosity, so foods don’t stick, making clean-up easier. It is also impervious to abrasives. Switching from very hot to very cold temperatures quickly is not recommended. While all clay based products are breakable, Polish Pottery is incredibly tough because of the way it is made.

Polish Pottery is well suited for all of those “bring out the fine china” occasions, but is also designed to be durable and functional enough for everyday use. Because each piece is hand crafted, the measurements and hand decorated designs will vary slightly from piece to piece.