Jan van der Vaart was already considered one of the most important Dutch ceramicists of the 20th century during his lifetime. He is considered the founder of abstract geometric ceramics. His work is clearly shaped, functional, and undecorated. Often angular, simple, and sleek. His work is distinguished by the uniquely tinted glazes he applied to his vases, primarily the bronze-colored glaze, but his white vases are also well-known. When Van der Vaart began experimenting with stacking his geometric shapes, he rediscovered the phenomenon of the tulip vase. The tulip vases—and towers—consist of turned or hand-formed elements. These large-scale vases were highly praised at exhibitions and from collectors (unique pieces). In 1967, it became possible to cast his designs and market them as "multiples," making them affordable for many. The bronze-colored tulip vase from the De Zwarte Tulp Collection is a typical example of a Van der Vaart design. The tower is constructed from four flat cylinders, which gradually become smaller towards the top. The sides of the cylinders have spouts for holding tulips or other flowers. The top cylinder features a crown. This tulip vase, with the text "wereldwijs VARA" on the crown, was a trophy awarded to the winner of the knowledge game "Wereldwijs," a VARA television program presented by Theo Eerdmans in the 1962/1963 season. Companies from various provinces competed against each other. This example was won by the Wilco Cannery from Assen on May 25, 1963.