Hogelandshoeve.nl - Items for sale - Max Verboeket 'Antiqua'

The bright emerald and amber bottles with swirling bubbles were hugely popular on Dutch windowsills of the late 60's. The bright colours which Verboeket had used so successfully in Carnaval were continued, and the roughly-crafted references to classical models reflected contemporary trends in fabrics and ceramics. For Antiqua, Verboeket was particularly inspired by forms from the Roman period and from the Rhineland in the Middle Ages,

Antiqua is Max Verboeket's most recognisable series of hand made vases. The irregularities of its handmade manufacure come to the fore and, with irregular movement of the bubbles, each example is unique. Verboeket also introduced the 'handmade glass' symbol shown left, a figure of 8 with a crucifix attached. This symbol was punched onto pellets which were applied onto some of the designs. Bowls (which have a recessed base) were most often marked in this way, Similar glass pellets (with 7 round hles in a pattern) were also attached to the exterior of the stem-vase, echoing the style of old Rheinish rummers.

After 1960 the Dutch glass industry was in crisis. Undercut by cheap foreign competitors, as the machines took over the last of the mass-market production (drinking glasses), Kristalunie was taken over by Leerdam. Although they tried to rationalise production (moving) between the sites, there were simply too many workers and too few markets. Antiqua was produced alongside Meydam's 'Etruska' range, and the two designs (along with later variants) almost began to merge
Antiqua was a very good way to keep the glassblowers busy producing 'hand-crafted' items which were saleable!
This range of heavy vases were also practical and stable, and offered a wide range of shapes in a very limited number of colours. Purple, turquoise, grey and cobalt blue was made in very small quantities. Clear glass versions were developed into a wider range of household items with Meydam(?) adding new (comptible) forms a ball-shaped case (reversible waxine candlestick) and rounded 'milk-bottle' vases.

091301 - 27.50 euros
091302 - 40.00 euros
091303 - 37.50 euros

091304 - 20.00 euros
091305 - 42.50 euros
091306 - 27.50 euros

070803 - 20.00 euros

The success of Antiqua was a pressure on Floris Meydam who responded with Etruska in a similar style (for Leerdam in 1974) and the two ranges appeared thereafter side-by-side in the new catalogues of the unified company, often using the short-lived label Kristalunie/Leerdam. In later life Etruska and Antiqua were produced in the same workshops, by the same hands and used glass from the same ovens. Meydam's colours copied Verboeket's and with the addition of some new forms the two groups merged into a single collection.
The series seems to have been extended with several designs which do not appear in the catalogues. Despite this, there is no doubt that they were prodiced at the same locations and sold as extra items alongside the others. They include a candlestick which can be inverted for use as a small bowl, and several smaller vases with simple shapes. Later simple forms were added and produced in clear glass.
In the photo's at the bottom of this page we show some examples of Antiqua which were made without bubbles, and some additional models which we believe were made in green only(?) at Kristalunie to accompany the 'bubble free Antiqua'. The vases have a more refined shapes, longer/slimmer necks, thinner glass and no bubbles. Antiqua and Etruska mark the last period of Dutch hand-made glass for the masses.

A Note about our prices:
The prices quoted are for 'cabinet quality' examples which are clean and undamaged. Antiqua is easily damages (especially the handles) and seems especially susceptible to water-discolouration.