Boleslawiec (more commonly known as Polish Ceramics)

Selection of Boleslawiec displayed outside our store in Shelter Island

In September of 2013, we took a trip to Poland to meet with some of our current vendors and also to scope out some new ones.  We were getting a great response about our selection of Polish ceramics known as Boleslawiec so we decided to take the four hour drive to the town where these beautiful ceramics are made.

This pottery is not only stunningly beautiful but also has a rich history behind it.  The region where Boleslawiec is made is located on the Polish/German Border and was not under Polish control until after World War II.  Before the war, the factories were run by Germans in a region named Brunslau.  After the war, the factories changed their managements and continued to manufacture the ceramics in the same styles as the Germans.  The region was renamed Boleslawiec. 

Example of a pattern of German origin

What makes the pottery so unique is that it is made from a certain type of clay that is only found in the Boleslawiec region.  This clay gives the pottery the unique characteristics that make it both durable, to withstand baking, and useful for serving.  The popularity of the pottery has greatly increased in recent years leading to an increase in the number of factories making pottery using the clay found in Boleslawiec.  

While we were visiting Boleslawiec, we got to go and see two of the beautiful factories in the town.  They were busy producing very beautiful patterns as well as the traditional and signature ones.  As we went looking through the factory stores, we noticed that these factories had included more unique lines of floral patterns.  These patterns are called UNIKAT patterns and generally belong to a certain artist.  These patterns also tend to be a bit more on the expensive side.  

The great thing about Boleslawiec is that it is oven safe, freezer safe, microwave safe, and dishwasher safe. This makes them easy to use and easy to clean.  We swear by them, our kitchen is full of them, and we have been collecting the Boleslawiec pottery for the last thirty years.   

We continue to have a great response to our Boleslawiec collection at all three of our stores!  Come by and chat with us about the ceramics and get excited as we are about to place another large order!