About Boleslawiec, Poland and Polish Pottery
The village of Boleslawiec is situated in the province of Lower Silesia in South West Poland. Before WWII Boleslawiec was part of Germany and was named,”Brunzlau”. In 1945, 60% of Brunzlau was destroyed. The German residents were required to leave the province of Lower Silesia. The province became Polish at this time and Polish people from other places in Poland and Yugoslavia settled into the province.
After WWII, due to the efforts of a professor from Krakow and the support of Wroclaw Academy of Fine Arts, the ceramic industry was restarted. The first ceramic workshop, a cooperative that is now known as “Cermica Artstyczna” was founded in 1945 in the former workshops of a German Company.
Polish Pottery is one of the most popular products exported from Poland. The biggest market for Polish pottery is the United States. Limited amounts of Polish Pottery are sold in Canada. There is very little Polish Pottery sold in Europe, but for that, that is sold, is sold to Americans on the US military bases in Europe. In fact, we can thank the people on the US military bases in Germany for introducing Polish pottery to the US. Military wives, for the most part, brought the pottery back to the US and actually developed the market for the Polish pottery.
Polish Pottery from Boleslawiec is probably one of the finest potteries produced in the world. Polish Pottery is made generally in the city of Boleslawiec, Poland due to the pottery being crafted out of clay indigenous to the region. Only natural and ecological materials are used throughout the entire production process. Polish Pottery is cadmium and lead free. Clay from Boleslawiec can be fired at a temperature of up to 1450 degrees Celsius. The first known pieces date back to the 16th century and were crafted in the Renaissance style. Later, the decoration was put underneath the glazes. Some of the most famous original designs include those commissioned by Frederick the Great, King of Prussia from 1740-1786. Antique Boleslawiec stoneware can be seen in museums, antique shops, and in private collections throughout Europe.
Due to the special glaze and very high firing temperatures the pottery is a stoneware product that is extremely durable and highly resistant to chipping, scratching, and breakage. The pottery is dishwasher, microwave, oven, refrigerator and freezer safe. The pottery is definitely not fragile, but care should be taken to not shock the pottery with sudden, extreme changes in temperature. For best results follow the rule of putting a cold piece of pottery in a cold oven and a hot piece of pottery in a hot oven. As with any stoneware if precautions are not taken the stoneware may crack.
Each piece of pottery is handcrafted and hand decorated by artisans. Decorations and patterns come in a variety of offerings. “Traditional” patterns are loved and appreciated for their strong and vibrant colors of cobalt blue, forest green and reddish browns. Only master artists create “Unikat” or Unique and “Signature” patterns. These patterns are truly unique and reflect the artist’s individual expression. All colors and designs are crafted to complement each other and to invite you to enjoy the fun process of searching for the perfect mix and match of your personal choice of patterns.
Today you may find in the Boleslawiec pottery shops more then 800 different shapes in 3000 patterns. The pottery is still decorated in the traditional sea sponge stamp method and, in some cases, artist brushes.
