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What is Polish pottery?
The art of Polish pottery dates to the 14th century when a layer of ceramic clay was discovered in the vicinity of Bolesławiec. Early pottery featured white patterns with a brown glaze and quickly became a desired commodity in Europe and royal courts. By the 19th century, its popularity led to an incorporation of vibrant stamped designs in a wider variety of colors. A school was founded for potters and artists, and now there are many factories spanning through Bolesławiec that export their products across the globe.
How is it made?
All pieces are formed and decorated manually using a stamp method as well as brush painting. After the pottery is formed and dried it undergoes preliminary firing at 850°C. The resulting biscuit products are painted with ceramic paint and then glazed and fired at 1250°C. Decorations incorporate an underglaze method, preventing designs from rubbing off and protecting them from damage.
The high firing temperature not only gives products their beautiful, shiny glaze but makes them durable as well. The products can be used for oven baking and they are dishwasher and microwave safe. They also tolerate low temperatures very well, making them suitable for refrigerators and freezers. All materials are environmentally friendly, and both lead and cadmium free for quality and safety.
Zakłady
Zakłady Ceramiczne is one of the largest manufacturers of hand-crafted and hand-decorated tableware pottery, using a time-honored stamping technique. Products are renowned for their beautiful hand-finish, original style, and high practicality. Their unique design, drawing from a centuries-old tradition of Polish, Czech, and German pottery making, is known as Bunzlauer Geschirr.
Zakłady's stamping technique for decorating pottery is highly recognized — patterns in the form of twigs, flowers, birds, and other graphic elements are applied manually with specially prepared stamps. The resulting hand-decorated line offers a unique alternative to mass-produced products.
View Zakłady ProductsCeramika Artystyczna
“Artistic Ceramics” or “Ceramika” was founded in 1950 to produce sophisticated, world-recognized patterns that combine traditional forms with modern applied art. Today the co-op produces over 600 forms and 2,500 ornamental patterns — a strong indicator of the company's creativity and potential.
The artistic value of the pottery is matched by superior quality, earning Ceramika many prestigious awards and honors including the Honorary Prize of the President of Bolesławiec (2018) and the Bronze Cross of Merit (2017).
View Ceramika ProductsVena
In 2003 Ewa Walczak turned her passion for regional products into a business in her hometown of Bolesławiec, Poland. From this inspired venture, Ceramika Artystyczna Vena — a family company — was born.
Vena balances a rich tradition of pottery-making while introducing contemporary styles. New motifs created by the owner herself have gained international recognition, and the regional handicraft nature of Vena's products has been confirmed by certificates from the Warsaw National Artistic and Ethnographic Commission.
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WR CERAMIKA S.C. J.K. Rutyna is a workshop with over 44 years of experience in the ceramic industry (since 1978). Today the company specializes in producing tableware, tea and coffee sets, vases, mugs, and other types of ceramic pottery. Their signature features are unique and distinct floral patterns.
Almost all production is exported to the USA, Germany, England and Italy. Quality is a core focus and the company continually strives to improve products at each stage of the production cycle.
View WR Unikat ProductsManufaktura
For over 25 years, the “Manufaktura” Sp. J. Smoleński & Zwierz Stone Pottery Factory in Bolesławiec has promoted Bolesławiec pottery worldwide. Manual manufacturing based on traditional technology, paired with openness to new decorative elements and collaboration with artists, makes Manufaktura a trendsetter among leading producers of Polish pottery.
View Manufaktura ProductsGlassworks
Over 4,000 glassblowers are employed by Glassworks to create custom works of art. They specialize in decorative glass such as vases, candleholders, and hurricane designs, as well as tabletop products like tumblers, jugs, stemware, and bowls. Each piece is hand-created — no two pieces are exactly alike!
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