Welcome to the world called Rynbende

 

Delft Blue KLM Miniature houses

I guess quite a lot of you will know the KLM miniature houses.

 

The picture below shows 83 of the 87 houses.

In the middle are special issues as Frans Hals Museum, Drakesteijn, Royal Palace + Kaaswaag Gouda.

There are a lot of stories going on about how all this started, but this is what happened in my opinion:

 

KLM started issuing these miniature bottles in 1952. Air companies were not allowed to give presents to their customers because of unfair competition. So, KLM had some Blue Delft houses made, and filled them with liquor and genever. Then, of course, their competitors complained "KLM ís giving presents to their customers". The KLM said "May I decide how I serve my drinks? Is there a law which tells me drinks have to be served in a glass?"... and so it all started.

 

The KLM was founded in 1919. By 1993, 60 different houses had been issued. In 1994, when the KLM celebrated its 75th anniversary, they issued a total of 15 miniatures, bringing the total to 75! so that the number of houses would be the same as the age of the KLM. The Delft  Blue KLM houses were made by Koninklijke Goedewaagen. Goedewaagen was first located in Gouda, but moved to Nieuw Buinen (Drenthe) in 1984. At the KLM Miniature Club somebody was talking about 'remakes from Taiwan' and 'not being real Delft houses'.

 

Well, what's the real story about this ? Here's what I know!

 

Goedewaagen has made these KLM houses up to 1995. Their last shipment to Bols was in march 1995. Then, Bols no longer had these houses made by Goedewaagen, but had them made in Taiwan.  Bols' reason was that Goedewaagen's houses were inferior and leaking. Bols had quite a lot of complaints and apparently Goedewaagen could not solve this problem.

"Ridiculous" said Goedenwaagen's CEO S.J. Kramer, "We make more Delft Blue than they make in Delft. How could we produce inferior quality? They just find us too expensive". So, Goedewaagen sued Bols for ending the contract. Goedewaagen kept continuing producing these houses, but now without "Bols" or "KLM" on it, and the houses did also not contain any genever. Bols now sued Goedewaagen for this. In May 1997 Bols wins this case. Goedewaagen is no longer allowed to produce houses which look like the KLM-houses of Bols. 1997 would also be the last year the houses were being produced in Taiwan. After a few years of production in Taiwan, the production was transferred to China. Marketing & Sales still remained in Taiwan.

 

So 'Remakes' and 'Taiwan'... but both different stories... The 'Remakes' should be the houses Goedewaagen kept on producing while the contract with Bols had been ended. These remakes do not have the marks KLM or BOLS on them. 'Taiwan'?  Yes, this is were the houses have been made since 1995! So, for example, all houses numbered 75 and higher would have been made in Taiwan (but earlier numbers are still being issued and are also being produced abroad)

But. Is this really a reason to panic? No. Of course not. In 1997, at the end of the case, they asked W. Ingenhoven (head public relations Bols): "So, does this mean that the KLM houses are not really Delft Blue anymore?" His answer was: "The technique to make Delft Blue is not bound by place.  Approximately 75% of all Delft Blue is not made in Delft. That goes for Drenthe and is nothing different for China. We have nothing to complain about their quality".

 

Simon Rynbende started his Distillery in 1793. In the 70's Rynbende was taken over by Henkes. Henkes was taken over by Bols in the 80's. The most logical explanation is, that KLM's contract first was with Rynbende, who already issued these houses filled with gin before the contract with KLM. After Rynbende was taken over by Henkes, the KLM miniatures were filled with Henkes liquor. Then, in the 80's the Bols houses came. As there is no more Rynbende company at this moment, I do not see why there should be any 'remake' by Rynbende. In Rynbende's time Goedewaagen was still manufacturing these houses, and they stopped in 1995, long after Rynbende was taken over by Henkes, and Henkes was taken over by Bols. 'Remakes' by Goedewaagen (if we can call them this) do not have KLM and BOLS on them. So, these can be easily found, and I guess no KLM miniature collector collects houses which do not have "KLM" on them. 'Remakes from Taiwain' do not exist, for these are the real (official) houses. Ok, they are not made in Delft, but also Goedewaagen was not located in Delft (first in Gouda, and then they moved to the east of Holland, Nieuw Buinen).

So. No panic. Just enjoy your collection!

When the Royal Class came to an end, KLM also stopped issuing the KLM houses. But, since there were so many complaints and protests, they restarted issuing the miniature houses again for the refurbished Business Class. During that time, people had to satisfy with a Delft Blue tile.

KLM Miniature houses have been filled with Rynbende, Henkes & Bols. Only the first 45 numbers have been filled with Rynbende, but, during the years, several symbols were used:

 

Besides the miniature houses, there were some other items that were also issued:

- Larger series

Okay... I guess all KLM miniature collectors will at least recognize two KLM houses. First, the Kaaswaag building, and second the KLM building (item #75). But, did you also know that there are two versions of each? Besides the (most common) smaller one, there is also a larger one available!

- Farmhouses were also not issued by the KLM, but they look exactly like the  KLM miniatures.

  If you collect KLM miniatures, these are a must to your collection.

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