Souvenirs- Delftware, jenever, and is it worth heading for Schiedam to learn about jenever

“ Are the factories good places to buy it in terms of price? Are there better places? Do I need to be concerned about possible "fake" Delftware? I won't be buying anything major.”

I guess it depends on what your definition of Delftware is. Is it a blue/white figurine, plate or vase made from earthenware? Or is it a hand painted unique piece of earthenware made in Delft?
You can visit the factory/museum of Royal Delft. I did so recently and I very much enjoyed it. You shouldn’t however expect to ging Delftware there at discounted prices. And after you’ve toured the museum and factory, you’ll understand why.

“I like gin. We aren't that interested in visiting Rotterdam, but I see there is a smaller town close, Schiedam, where they make jenever. Is Schiedam worth a visit from Delft?”
I’ve said it before, but I always find it difficult or even impossible to answer these “is XXX worth it” questions. Whether or not something is worth your time, your money and your effort is a very personal thing. There is no one size fits all answer.

Schiedam is surprisingly scenic along the canal -Lange Haven and adjacent streets- that runs through it’s historic centre. You can visit there the “Jenevermuseum” and the nearby traditional windmill once used for producing raw material for making jenever. You can have a tasting there too. Think displays are only in Dutch, however contact the museum if they can help you.
[email protected]
https://www.jenevermuseum.nl/ Dutch only, just for an impression.

The museum takes about 20 minutes walking from the railway station. Train Delft to Schiedam takes about 10 minutes, so you won’t loose muche time if the experience isn’t what you expect. Never visited it, but think worth trying.

Thank you, Wil, for the info on Schiedam. Just what I needed. Sounds like its quite scenic and the jenever does make it a little different from the other day trips we have planned.

Thank you, Dutch Traveler, for info on Delftware. When we are at the factory, I plan to ask about particular markings to look for. Yes, I'm only interested in the hand painted pottery made in Delft. It sounds like the pottery I saw for sale in Amsterdam, may not necessarily been made in Delft. No, I didn't think the factories would have discounts or seconds, but I have found that items sold at a factory may be priced higher that local stores. Not saying this is the case with Delft, but I have run into higher prices for other products at factories or heavily trafficked tourist areas. For example, prices of Birkenstock in Germany seems to vary quite a bit depending on store/location.

“ When we are at the factory, I plan to ask about particular markings to look for.”

Unlike for silver or gold, there isn’t one generic mark to indicate that a certain item is Delftware. Every manufacturer has their very own mark. So when you are at a factory, their own particular mark will be on every Delftware item in their shop, no need to ask. (And it would be a bit inappropriate to ask them about the mark of their competitors.)

It may all seem a bit difficult now, but if you visit the excellent Royal Delft Museum, you will learn all about the history of the factory called the Royal Porceleyne Fles and about the history behind their mark; https://museum.royaldelft.com/en/discover-the-collection/year-codes-tradem-marks/

I love shopping at thrift stores & finding bargains, but I personally would buy hand painted pottery made in Delft at the Royal Delft Museum. You might like to check some prices in local shops beforehand, but from my wander around Delft in shopping areas & the museum, I was happy to buy there, but it's not cheap! I did some research before I arrived & had a really nice chat with a salesman, who was so glad someone had taken the trouble to learn a bit about Delft pottery before arriving. Enjoy!

Jules, since you will be in Delft, I highly recommend you head over to The Hague and visit “Slijterij/distileerderij Museum van Kleef”. It is a working jenever distillery that doubles as a museum. Really friendly staff who eagerly give free samples of their jenever. They claim their building was the favorite drinking spot of Van Gogh when he was younger. Whether that is true or not, the building has some great old features and is worth a visit.

Thank you, Jay, awesome idea!

We enjoyed our visit to the Royal Delft factory. We bought a beautiful blue and white serving dish which we enjoy having in our home. They shipped it for us.