Here’s a fascinating look at women at work painting Polish pottery. The pieces are all hand painted. The women use paint brushes and sponge stamps to make the patterns. Most of the patterns are repeated for entire sets of dishes. Each factory is known for its unique patterns.
It was interesting to see how pastel the paints are. After the pottery is fired, the colors become dark and vibrant.
This work takes a steady hand and a good sense of how to make a pattern row come out even in the end. I wonder how many years of practice these women have had.
Watching this work and seeing these tools was fascinating and it helped us all appreciate the work that goes into each piece. The prices we paid here in Boleslawiec were about a third to a half less than you’d pay at a shop outside of Poland. There are busloads of people who come here to purchase the pottery, much of it for resale.
Our Frankfurt Germany Mission 