Talavera

TalaveraHand Crafted Tile Collections

The early Spanish and Mexican classics, silk-screened by hand in bold color on a flat glaze. Cobalt and saffron, terracotta and deep green — patterns that have outlived every trend applied to them, still made by hand in Mexico.

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The Story Behind Talavera

Four centuries of pattern, painted by hand.

Talavera arrived in Mexico with Spanish potters in the sixteenth century and never left. The geometry carries Moorish arithmetic through Andalusia; the palette — cobalt, saffron, terracotta, deep green on a white ground — is what the New World made of it. Four hundred years later the vocabulary is unchanged.

Each tile is silk-screened by hand and finished by hand, so the glaze sits flat and the colour reads clean and saturated rather than muted. Available from 1x1 through 6x6 depending on the pattern, Talavera works as a full field, as a border or riser, or as a single tile set into plain ground — and because it is sold by the piece, you order exactly the count your layout needs.

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Common Questions

Talavera, answered.

What is Talavera tile?

Talavera is a Spanish-Mexican ceramic tradition dating to the sixteenth century, named for Talavera de la Reina in Spain and carried to Mexico by Spanish potters. It is defined by bold, saturated color on a white ground and by geometric and floral patterns that trace back through Andalusia to Moorish design.

Are these tiles really handmade?

Yes. Each tile is silk-screened by hand and finished by hand in Mexico. Screening by hand is what gives the pattern its crisp register while leaving the small shifts in placement, saturation and edge that distinguish it from a printed tile.

How is Talavera different from the California collection?

Surface and palette. Talavera is flat-glazed and boldly saturated — cobalt, saffron, deep green on white. California is relieved, with a raised cuerda seca line and softer earth tones. They come from the same workshops but read very differently on a wall, so mixing the two in one field is a decision worth making deliberately.

What sizes are available?

1x1, 2x2, 3x3, 4x4 and 6x6 in a gloss glaze, with availability varying by pattern — every pattern is offered in 4x4, while the smaller and larger formats run on a selection. Sizes are nominal, as with all handmade tile, so lay out from measured pieces rather than the call-out.

How is Talavera sold?

By the piece. Talavera is a decorative tile, so it is priced and shipped per piece — which lets you order the exact count a border, riser or panel needs rather than rounding up to a case.

Do the patterns build into a larger motif?

Many do. Set as a four- or nine-piece repeat, a number of these patterns resolve into one larger figure across the field rather than reading as separate tiles. Contact us for the layout concept before you finalise quantity.

Where can Talavera be used?

Range walls and backsplashes, stair risers, fireplace surrounds, wainscot bands, shower niches, and arch or doorway surrounds. It suits interiors and sheltered exteriors in mild climates, but is not rated for freeze-thaw regions or submerged applications such as pool interiors and fountain basins.

How much variation should I expect?

Expect meaningful variation. Tone, glaze and edge shift from tile to tile and between batches. Order your full quantity together with a little extra for cuts and selection, and view a sample in your own lighting first — a screen flattens exactly the quality you are buying.

How do I order a sample?

Order samples from the products below and experience the glaze in your own light. For trade pricing, quantity estimates or help choosing among the patterns, contact sales@alexanderjames.shop.

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