BIRD TILES

Hand-painted bird tiles offer a beautiful form of decoration. Painting a bird relates directly to using a brush, the shapes of the wings, tail feathers and body very often being illustrated with a simple stroke. Detail is then added with a fine brush. Our artistic skills allow us to capture a spontaneous feel to the painting, carrying on in the tradition of seventeenth century tile painters. These delft tiles are perfect for the kitchen, behind an Aga or Rayburn and can be painted in cobalt blue and white or manganese magenta decoration. We have an extensive portfolio of other designs.

Oystercatcher

Delft bird tiles appeared very early in the seventeenth century and have remained a popular theme for use on hand-painted tiles for centuries and many from both Holland and England can still be seen in museums. Birds have been used as a source of decoration from the earliest times and illustrations of birds have been found on wall paintings in Egyptian tombs, Persian bas-reliefs, Greek frescos and Roman mosaics, not to mention their widespread use in India and far eastern art.

Their portrayal can vary from the formal, such as the Romans' ceremonial eagles, to the naturalistic presentation found in Audubon paintings, from country style chickens found on canal boat ware to sophisticated images of birds painted with energetic strokes of the brush decorating Oriental porcelains.

They were popular images in both England and Holland and tile painters could, of course, draw from the source material around them. On their tiles, painters depicted both recognisable images of common birds and imaginary, fantastic creatures. Generally, the depiction of birds on early delft tiles can be divided into the two categories of exotic and native. Extensive travel produced illustrations of foreign lands and their flora and fauna; pictures of cockatoos, parrots, flamingos and ostriches were available for tile painters to use. Popular native birds shown on delft tiles included geese, owls, pigeons, swans and finches and they were painted with a vivacity and charm that makes them highly collectible today. Our Bird tile collection includes both exotic and native birds and we continue in the tradition of hand-painting with vivacity and a love for our subject. We have a standard collection of twelve birds, however, we are able to offer many more images from our archives if required. Bird tiles look good in kitchens, behind an Aga or Rayburn, and in bathrooms, and also make very suitable subjects for decorating fireplaces, mantelpieces and fire surrounds.

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