You’ve seen in on the Internet, you’ve seen it on QVC, perhaps you’ve seen select pieces in stores or magazines. What’s all the hub bub about it and what in the world is it?

What is it?

Polish Pottery is a hand-made ceramic pottery that is hand decorated with stamps. Products range from dinnerware [...]]]> What is Polish Pottery?

You’ve seen in on the Internet, you’ve seen it on QVC, perhaps you’ve seen select pieces in stores or magazines. What’s all the hub bub about it and what in the world is it?

What is it?

Polish Pottery is a hand-made ceramic pottery that is hand decorated with stamps. Products range from dinnerware sets, serving pieces, bakeware, bowls, containers, tea and coffee services to accessories such as vases, pitchers and cookie jars, to name a few. What makes it distinctive is the beautiful hand-stamped designs.

Polish farmers created these traditional designs with inspiration from the peacock feather. Using the colors of cobalt blue, peacock blue and earth tones added beauty and color to an otherwise plain and simple lifestyle. Over the years the technique of using handmade stencils to create the designs has become a form of art passed down to new generations.

Is it just for show or can I really use it?

Definitely use it! It is some of the best cooking stoneware that I have ever used. I have cooked pies, lasagnas, casseroles and various other meals in them. Cooking with this pottery has exceeded my expectations. Another advantage is that I don’t need to transfer the meal to another “pretty” dish for serving.

One of my male friends asked his wife to buy some of the coffee cups because they kept his coffee warm for a long time.

The pottery is made in the town of Boleslawiec, approximately an hour and a half drive from Dresden, Germany. If you are in the area, it is definitely worth the trip as you can purchase the pottery for less than half the retail price in the U.S., and there are many more [...]]]> Where is it made?

The pottery is made in the town of Boleslawiec, approximately an hour and a half drive from Dresden, Germany. If you are in the area, it is definitely worth the trip as you can purchase the pottery for less than half the retail price in the U.S., and there are many more patterns to choose from. I would, however, advise not driving your own vehicle or rental car. I have found the town relatively safe except for the persistent car thefts. You can either hire a driver or take a bus trip. The town has shops all over including the factory where the pottery is made.

After some persuading, a friend of mine convinced me to [...]]]> While living in Germany, I was introduced to Polish Pottery. So many of the ladies I met were collecting it! While I didn’t immediately catch the “bug”, once I got my first piece of Polish Pottery, it wasn’t long before I knew what the attraction was.

After some persuading, a friend of mine convinced me to go to Poland with her for an overnight trip. I only had two pieces of the pottery and I had won both of them at a “Polish Pottery Bingo” fundraiser. I just assumed that the pottery would be expensive and really didn’t understand what the big deal was with collecting it. After that trip to Poland though, I found myself trying to figure out what I wanted, which pattern, when could I go back to Poland, and so many other things! While I didn’t get everything I would have liked to on that first trip, I did make up my mind to have a collection of my own.

Polish Pottery is beautiful but practical. While each piece is different in some small way, each piece is also useful in its own right. The pottery can be used in the oven or microwave and it is dishwasher safe unlike many beautiful china sets. Dinner can go from the oven to the table in a beautiful dish. It will then wash up easier than any other dishes I have ever used. What more could you ask for.

During my two trips to Poland, I was able to get a collection that makes for a beautiful scene at family meals. Instead of choosing one particular pattern like many people do, I chose to go with different ones I liked. I have a 12 place setting and each setting is a different pattern. The serving dishes are all different too. While it may sound a little out of the ordinary, these dishes and the patterns they have all just seem to go together beautifully. I chose everything with the dark blues versus the lighter blues. I then simply chose pieces I liked and didn’t worry about perfection. The great thing about Polish Pottery is that you can do this and still achieve elegance at the table with an array of patterns and colors that rivals any perfectly matched set.

When looking at Polish Pottery to buy, the main thing to keep in mind is if you plan to use it or display it. A level or class 1 piece is usable in the oven as well as the microwave. It is also considered to have no flaws so to speak. A class 2 can also be used in the oven, but is more likely to eventually crack. It may also have some minor flaw that you may not even be able to spot. A level 3 and up will almost definitely crack at some point of use if baked in the oven. It may also have a run in the color scheme, a mistake in the patterning, or some other flaw. I do have a couple of pieces that are level 3 that I don’t notice any flaws in, but I am very careful to not use them in the oven. The crack that would undoubtedly come would be a major flaw!