Delft Blue Vases
Few things say ‘Holland’ quite like blue and white on the windowsill. Here you’ll find over a hundred Delft Blue vases, from little vases with a windmill landscape to tall milk churn vases and modern designs such as Blue Fold and Butterfly Gold. Looking for a vase made especially for tulips? Take a look at our Delft Blue tulip vases, with a separate spout for every stem.
Buy Delft Blue vases: nearly four centuries of Dutch tradition
In the seventeenth century, ships of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) brought porcelain from China to the Netherlands. It was beautiful, but far too expensive for most people. When supplies from China dried up, the potters of Delft stepped in. Working from former breweries, they decorated white-glazed earthenware with cobalt blue. Delft Blue began as an affordable alternative to Chinese porcelain and soon grew into a style of its own, with windmills, flowers, birds and Dutch landscapes.
That style is still very much alive today. De Holland Winkel has been selling Dutch souvenirs and gifts since 2002, and Delft Blue has always been one of our favourites. In this category you’ll find classic vases alongside modern designs that give the traditional blue a fresh twist.
Two kinds of vase: flower vases and tulip vases
Delft Blue flower vases
The classic vase with a single opening, ideal for a bouquet, a few branches or a single stem. Choose from many shapes: belly vases, chalice vases, globe vases, cylinder vases, collar vases and slender bud vases. Just as lovely as a decorative piece without flowers.
Delft Blue tulip vases
A tulip vase has several spouts, so each tulip gets its own place and stays upright. There are footed tulip vases, heart-shaped, round and rectangular models, and even stackable three-piece vases more than 40 centimetres tall. See them all in our tulip vases subcategory.
Which Delft Blue styles will you find?
Classic windmills and flowers
Traditional Delft Blue with a windmill landscape, flowering vines or a floral pattern. Timeless, and easy to combine with other Delft Blue in your home.
Canal houses and gables
Vases shaped like Amsterdam canal houses with stepped, bell or neck gables, and square vases decorated with a row of houses. A charming nod to the city’s canals.
Modern design
Clean lines and surprising details: the folded shapes of Blue Fold, golden butterflies on Butterfly Gold, the blossom branches of Blue Blossom and the square vases by Paauw.
Milk churn vases
Inspired by the old-fashioned Dutch farm milk churn. Generous, sturdy vases decorated with wildflowers, roses or a still life, also available in black and in colour.
Art and the Golden Age
Vases with motifs that refer to Dutch painting, such as floral still lifes and a tulip vase with a design after Vermeer. A great choice for lovers of museums and the Old Masters.
Vases with tulips that never wilt
Want a gift that’s ready to give? Choose a vase filled with wooden tulips, or pair a vase with a bouquet of artificial tulips or parrot tulips in your favourite colour.
The tulip vase: a piece of the Dutch Golden Age
After the famous tulip mania of the 1630s, the tulip remained a status symbol in the Netherlands. Delft potters began making vases that showed off these precious flowers one by one: the tulip vase. By the end of the seventeenth century they had even become royal. Queen Mary II, wife of the Dutch stadtholder and English king William III, was a keen collector and had towering Delftware flower pyramids made for her palaces in both England and the Netherlands.
You use a tulip vase just as they did then: fill it with water and place one tulip in each spout. Even a handful of flowers makes a striking display. And outside tulip season, a tulip vase looks beautiful on a shelf or mantelpiece on its own.
A Delft Blue vase as a gift
A vase is a gift that lasts for years and gets used again and again. With sizes ranging from a small vase for the desk to an eye-catching tulip vase for the dining table, there’s something for every occasion and every budget.
- ✓For visitors to the Netherlands: a genuine Dutch keepsake that’s actually useful back home.
- ✓For Dutch people abroad: a familiar piece of Holland for every bunch of flowers.
- ✓For a housewarming or birthday: a vase with wooden tulips is a complete gift in one.
- ✓For business partners: a Delft Blue vase is a stylish corporate gift that instantly says ‘Netherlands’.
Frequently asked questions about Delft Blue vases
What is the difference between a vase and a tulip vase? +
A regular vase has one opening for a whole bouquet. A tulip vase has several spouts, each holding a single tulip. This keeps the flowers upright and lets every tulip stand out. You can of course use a tulip vase for other flowers with sturdy stems too.
Is Delft Blue always made in Delft? +
No. The name refers to the city where the style flourished in the seventeenth century, but today ‘Delft Blue’ describes the recognisable blue and white decoration itself. Each product page lists the material and dimensions of the vase.
Do you ship Delft Blue vases abroad? +
Yes. We ship within the Netherlands and worldwide, and we pack fragile ceramics with care. See our shipping costs page for all destinations.
Can I order vases in larger quantities? +
Certainly. Looking for vases as corporate gifts, for a hotel or to decorate an event? Visit our B2B page or email info@hollandwinkel.nl.
Can I add a personal message? +
Yes, we’ll include a card with your message free of charge. Would you like your gift beautifully wrapped? Choose one of our gift wrapping options.
Discover more Delft Blue
Found your vase? Our online shop has thousands of Dutch souvenirs and gifts. Complete your gift with a bunch of tulips that never wilt, or find a matching piece of Delft Blue for the table or the wall.