Koninklijke Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland (Royal PZH) | Arras Pattern | Twin-Handled Bowl | Hand-Painted Earthenware | Gouda, Holland, c.1930s

The Gouda potteries understood something that much decorative art of the period did not: that boldness is not excess, and that a fully worked surface can still allow the eye to move.

Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland, established in Gouda in 1898 by Adrianus Jonker and Egbert Estié, became the leading producer of Dutch art pottery in the early twentieth century. The factory’s development of the matte “Rhodian” glaze process in 1910 defined its output through the 1920s and 1930s, producing vividly hand-painted wares that bridged Art Nouveau and emerging Art Deco sensibilities. In 1930, the firm received the royal predicate, thereafter trading as Koninklijke (Royal) Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland — a designation reflected in the backstamp of this piece and confirming production after that date. The Arras pattern belongs to the factory’s mature decorative vocabulary: bold, structured, and architecturally composed.

This twin-handled oval bowl is of compressed form, raised on a low foot ring with a broad, flat rim incorporating two angular open handles. The interior is finished in a deep matte teal-green glaze. The exterior carries the Arras pattern in full hand-painted polychrome: large stylised floral forms rise in yellow and white from terracotta-orange scalloped bases, flanked by teal leaves with incised detailing against a soft cream ground. Cobalt blue chevron panels introduce a strong geometric rhythm, while scattered lavender-blue dots animate the surface. A lower border of dark red oval dots, framed by green linear banding, encircles the foot. The handles and rim are glazed in a muted olive-green, providing a deliberate visual pause above the more animated body.

The base is fully marked with mould number 2576, pattern name ARRAS, ROYAL ZUID-HOLLAND, the Lazarus Gate device, and GOUDA. A partial original paper label remains — a detail that significantly strengthens the piece’s desirability.

There are no chips, cracks, or losses. The matte glaze and painted decoration remain crisp and intact. Condition is excellent.

Key Details

• Maker: Koninklijke Plateelbakkerij Zuid-Holland (Royal PZH)
• Pattern: Arras
• Mould number: 2576
• Material: Hand-painted earthenware with matte glaze
• Origin: Gouda, Holland
• Period: c.1930s
• Dimensions: 26.3 cm (handle to handle) × 12 cm × 8 cm
• Weight: 505 g
• Condition: Excellent; partial original paper label intact

Collector Appeal

Royal PZH pieces with full pattern naming, clear factory marks, and surviving paper labels sit firmly above average market examples. The Arras pattern, with its strong geometric structure and confident palette, represents the factory at its most resolved point — where Art Nouveau softness gives way to Art Deco clarity. Twin-handled forms of this scale are less common than standard vases, making the piece both displayable and comparatively scarce.

What survives of Gouda pottery is not simply decoration, but a record of a moment when colour, geometry, and craft aligned — and this piece holds that balance with unusual confidence.