DOI Kapitel:
Beuningen, H. J. E.; Hurst, J. G.; Neal, D. S.: Weser Ware in the Netherlands
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.65793#0150
re was imported into the Netherlands in large
quantities around the year 1600, and that these
Imports ceased at the same time as those of Wer-
ra wäre. The period of the largest volume of Im-
ports, taking account of the dates on Wanfried
bowls, was between 1600 and 1622. Hardly any
vessels with later dates have appeared in the
Netherlands. It may be confidently asserted that
imports of Weser wäre also came to an end after
1625.
The material which has been found gives the Im-
pression that imports of Weser wäre into the
Netherlands begin somewhat later than in the
case of Werra wäre. I would say that it was after
1590—1600 that Weser wäre began to be impor-
ted in large quantity (on this see also the article
of BAART in this volume). It has been found in
various parts of the Netherlands, and by and lar-
ge the distribution map in the Exhibition catalo-
gue ,, Meisterwerke hessischer Töpferkunst”
(NAUMANN 1974, 21) is also valid for Weser
wäre. This map could now be revised to include
find-spots at Langbroek, Utrecht, Dordrecht and
The Hague, where both Weser wäre and Werra
wäre were found. I should point out that the
material appears in nearly all the important tra-
ding centres in the Netherlands which were easi-
ly reached by sea-going ships.
As far as I know, relatively little Weser wäre has
hitherto been found in Germany, so that the
different forrns can best be indicated on the ba-
sis of the finds in the Netherlands. However, it
should be observed that new finds are always
being made, with different forms. Hitherto, all
the vessels and sherds which have been found
have a yellowish or pink-coloured fabric; Weser
wäre is light-coloured almost completely
through the section. But it is interesting that in a
few cases manganese-coloured brown appears,
and evidently the potters covered the light body
of the clay with a dark slip before it was glazed;
nevertheless, I have found this manganese co-
lour in only a quite small number of pieces, and
these were from small jugs. Horizontal roulette
patterns are sometimes found on the yellow-
glazed jugs, pipkins and pots; but besides these
there is almost always further decoration in the
form of dots and/or stripes in green, orange or
brown, mostly vertical stripes, wavy lines or dots.
Jugs, which run from 12 cm. to 16 cm. in
height, have rilling as decoration, which may co-
ver the whole of the neck or appear only at the
spout (VB181 & 441) (Taf. 132—134). In some
cases, also, a band of colour is applied at the
spout. Where the rilling extends over the whole
of the neck, it is in the form of wavy lines, but
where there is only a little of it, it is horizontal,
usually just above the top of the handle. Rilling
also appears on the body of the vessel, at the le-
vel at which the lower part of the handle is fixed.
Sometimes there are coloured stripes in green
and brown on the shoulders of the jugs. All the
jugs have flat bases. With regard to pots, these
are in various forms (Taf. 129—131). Small pip-
kins, with three feet, have an average height of
about 10 cm. and loop handles (VB439 & 443).
In a few cases there are pots with solid handles
(Taf. 130, 4; 131, 4). It may well be asked what
was the function of small pipkins like these with
a capacity of about 150 cm3. It may be establi-
shed by further finds that there were also larger
pipkins for normal household use, but so far I
have not found such vessels. Larger pots, up to
15 cm. high, with a flat base and loop handle,
are fairly frequent; the same form was also made
with a height of 6 to 7 cm. The vessels of this ty-
pe, with a few exceptions, are invariably decora-
ted with rouletting, and also with green,
reddish-brown and/or brown dots; vertical stri-
pes also appear (Taf. 129).
A variant type is a barrel-shaped tankard with
loop handle and a flat base (Taf. 131, 5; 132, 3);
this is glazed yellow and has rilling on the upper
and lower parts of the body, roulette decoration
and orange and green vertical stripes (height
11.1 cm.) (VB442). Another variant is a wide-
bellied Bellarmine jug, with a flat base (height
13.6 cm.) (VB440) (Taf. 132, 1). Sherds of an-
other Bellarmine, found at Delft, show that this
vessel was not unique. The technique of the de-
coration, the glazing and the colour of the fabric
point clearly to origin in the Weser region.
Globular or straight-sided bowls with horizontal
handles are fairly common (diameter from 12 to
15 cm., height up to 7 cm.) (VB445 & 446) (Taf.
123; 127). There are also larger bowls; on these
the orange, red-brown and green decoration is
on a light background. I have not yet been able
to confirm the occurrence of figure decoration
on these bowls. In one case, in addition to deco-
134
quantities around the year 1600, and that these
Imports ceased at the same time as those of Wer-
ra wäre. The period of the largest volume of Im-
ports, taking account of the dates on Wanfried
bowls, was between 1600 and 1622. Hardly any
vessels with later dates have appeared in the
Netherlands. It may be confidently asserted that
imports of Weser wäre also came to an end after
1625.
The material which has been found gives the Im-
pression that imports of Weser wäre into the
Netherlands begin somewhat later than in the
case of Werra wäre. I would say that it was after
1590—1600 that Weser wäre began to be impor-
ted in large quantity (on this see also the article
of BAART in this volume). It has been found in
various parts of the Netherlands, and by and lar-
ge the distribution map in the Exhibition catalo-
gue ,, Meisterwerke hessischer Töpferkunst”
(NAUMANN 1974, 21) is also valid for Weser
wäre. This map could now be revised to include
find-spots at Langbroek, Utrecht, Dordrecht and
The Hague, where both Weser wäre and Werra
wäre were found. I should point out that the
material appears in nearly all the important tra-
ding centres in the Netherlands which were easi-
ly reached by sea-going ships.
As far as I know, relatively little Weser wäre has
hitherto been found in Germany, so that the
different forrns can best be indicated on the ba-
sis of the finds in the Netherlands. However, it
should be observed that new finds are always
being made, with different forms. Hitherto, all
the vessels and sherds which have been found
have a yellowish or pink-coloured fabric; Weser
wäre is light-coloured almost completely
through the section. But it is interesting that in a
few cases manganese-coloured brown appears,
and evidently the potters covered the light body
of the clay with a dark slip before it was glazed;
nevertheless, I have found this manganese co-
lour in only a quite small number of pieces, and
these were from small jugs. Horizontal roulette
patterns are sometimes found on the yellow-
glazed jugs, pipkins and pots; but besides these
there is almost always further decoration in the
form of dots and/or stripes in green, orange or
brown, mostly vertical stripes, wavy lines or dots.
Jugs, which run from 12 cm. to 16 cm. in
height, have rilling as decoration, which may co-
ver the whole of the neck or appear only at the
spout (VB181 & 441) (Taf. 132—134). In some
cases, also, a band of colour is applied at the
spout. Where the rilling extends over the whole
of the neck, it is in the form of wavy lines, but
where there is only a little of it, it is horizontal,
usually just above the top of the handle. Rilling
also appears on the body of the vessel, at the le-
vel at which the lower part of the handle is fixed.
Sometimes there are coloured stripes in green
and brown on the shoulders of the jugs. All the
jugs have flat bases. With regard to pots, these
are in various forms (Taf. 129—131). Small pip-
kins, with three feet, have an average height of
about 10 cm. and loop handles (VB439 & 443).
In a few cases there are pots with solid handles
(Taf. 130, 4; 131, 4). It may well be asked what
was the function of small pipkins like these with
a capacity of about 150 cm3. It may be establi-
shed by further finds that there were also larger
pipkins for normal household use, but so far I
have not found such vessels. Larger pots, up to
15 cm. high, with a flat base and loop handle,
are fairly frequent; the same form was also made
with a height of 6 to 7 cm. The vessels of this ty-
pe, with a few exceptions, are invariably decora-
ted with rouletting, and also with green,
reddish-brown and/or brown dots; vertical stri-
pes also appear (Taf. 129).
A variant type is a barrel-shaped tankard with
loop handle and a flat base (Taf. 131, 5; 132, 3);
this is glazed yellow and has rilling on the upper
and lower parts of the body, roulette decoration
and orange and green vertical stripes (height
11.1 cm.) (VB442). Another variant is a wide-
bellied Bellarmine jug, with a flat base (height
13.6 cm.) (VB440) (Taf. 132, 1). Sherds of an-
other Bellarmine, found at Delft, show that this
vessel was not unique. The technique of the de-
coration, the glazing and the colour of the fabric
point clearly to origin in the Weser region.
Globular or straight-sided bowls with horizontal
handles are fairly common (diameter from 12 to
15 cm., height up to 7 cm.) (VB445 & 446) (Taf.
123; 127). There are also larger bowls; on these
the orange, red-brown and green decoration is
on a light background. I have not yet been able
to confirm the occurrence of figure decoration
on these bowls. In one case, in addition to deco-
134