The Porceleyne Fles is the only remaining ceramic factory of the 32 which were in operation in and around Delft during the middle of the 17th Century. Founded in 1653 by David Anthonisz van de Pieth, the Porceleyne Fles was located at the Oosteinde in Delft.
The back or underside of every item produced by the Porceleyne Fles carries a makers mark, an apothecary flask beneath which are the entwined initials J and T of Joost Thooft, the owner of the factory in 1876, this is followed by the word DELFT. To the left are the painters initials and the letters to the right form a year code. This mark is the guarantee of authentic hand-painted Delftware pottery from the 'Royal Porceleyne Fles'.
