Royal Talens
A Dutch manufacturer and marketer of fine-art materials, including paints, drawing media, brushes, papers, canvases, and writing products.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Royal Talens is a Dutch art-materials company based in Apeldoorn. Founded in 1899 by former banker Marten Talens, the business began as Talens & Co., producing paint, varnish, ink, and office-related materials. Its early artistic range included Rembrandt oil colours, a product association that later developed into one of the company's principal professional-art brands. The company expanded beyond the Netherlands at an early stage: exports to the United States and Russia began in 1905, and a United States sales office was opened in 1912. During the first half of the twentieth century, Royal Talens combined fine-art production with office and household products. As typewriters and duplicating equipment became more widely used in the 1930s, the company supplied carbon paper, typewriter ribbons, stencils, and stencil ink. Its Gluton adhesive also became a recognizable consumer product. The Second World War disrupted production through raw-material shortages and damage to the factory, but operations resumed after the liberation of the Netherlands. In 1949 the company received the Dutch designation “Koninklijke,” or “Royal,” and adopted the name Koninklijke Fabrieken Talens & Zoon. The postwar period brought substantial expansion, including the establishment of branches in more than 50 countries. Royal Talens increasingly concentrated on creative and artistic materials while continuing to develop multiple brands and product categories. Acrylic paints were introduced in 1970, broadening the company's position beyond traditional oil and watercolor media. Royal Talens' corporate ownership changed several times. It joined the Sikkens Group in 1963, and that group was subsequently acquired by AkzoNobel. In 1991 Royal Talens became part of Sakura Color Products Corporation, a privately owned Japanese company headquartered in Osaka. Under Sakura ownership, Royal Talens continued to operate as a major European art-materials business, manufacturing and marketing its own products while also commercializing licensed or affiliated brands. The current portfolio covers oil colours, acrylics, watercolors, gouache, water-mixable oils, pastels, inks, markers, pencils, pens, brushes, papers, canvases, easels, and related accessories. Its principal brands include Amsterdam, Bruynzeel, Cobra, Rembrandt, Sakura, Schjerning, Talens, Talens | Pantone, and Van Gogh. These brands address different segments, ranging from professional and advanced artist materials to student, hobby, graphic, and stationery products. The company has also maintained production and distribution infrastructure outside the Netherlands, including an easel and stretched-canvas factory established in Lesko, Poland, and a distribution hall added in Apeldoorn in 1999. Royal Talens is therefore best understood as a multi-brand art-materials house rather than only a single paint label. Its market identity rests on Dutch manufacturing heritage, broad international distribution, and a tiered portfolio that includes both specialist artist brands and accessible creative products.
History
Royal Talens was established in 1899 by Marten Talens, a former banker, under the name Talens & Co. The original business produced paint, varnish, and ink, with office supplies forming an important part of its early activity. Artistic production was present from the beginning through Rembrandt oil colours. In 1904, after Marten's son Hildebrand Talens joined the business as a partner, the company became Talens & Zoon. The company began international expansion early. Exports to the United States and Russia started in 1905, followed by a United States sales office in 1912. Production capacity grew over the following years. The factory adopted steam power in 1920, the company took over a local ink factory, and it began operating its own tin factory. A new head office was constructed in 1927; the building, designed by P.W. van den Belt, later received recognition as an industrial monument. Royal Talens broadened its office-products business during the 1930s. The spread of typewriters and mimeograph machines created demand for carbon paper, typewriter ribbon, stencils, and stencil ink. The company also developed Gluton glue, sold in a familiar pot-and-brush format. Wartime conditions brought shortages of raw materials, and a stray bomb caused substantial damage to the factory during the Second World War. After the liberation of the Netherlands, the company restarted production. In 1949 Talens received the designation Koninklijke, meaning Royal, and became Koninklijke Fabrieken Talens & Zoon. The postwar decades were marked by strong growth and internationalization, with branches eventually established in more than 50 countries. In 1963 the company joined the Sikkens Group, which later became part of AkzoNobel. Royal Talens remained within that corporate structure until it was acquired in 1991 by Sakura Color Products Corporation of Osaka. Product development increasingly centered on fine-art materials. Acrylic paints were introduced in 1970, adding a major modern medium to the company's established oil, watercolor, and ink activities. From 1974 onward, Royal Talens also assembled an art collection. The company continued expanding its brand architecture and product assortment, including the development and distribution of brands such as Amsterdam, Bruynzeel, Cobra, Rembrandt, Sakura, Schjerning, Talens, Talens | Pantone, and Van Gogh. Infrastructure expanded alongside the portfolio. In 1989 Royal Talens opened a modern plant. In 1996 it established a factory for easels and stretched canvases in Lesko, Poland, and in 1999 it added a distribution hall in Apeldoorn. The business now operates as a multi-brand art-materials company, manufacturing and marketing its own products while also commercializing selected brands associated with the wider portfolio. Its range spans professional paints, student and hobby materials, drawing and writing products, surfaces, tools, and accessories.
- 1999
Apeldoorn distribution hall added
[1]Royal Talens expanded its logistics infrastructure with a new distribution hall in Apeldoorn.
- 1996
Lesko easel and canvas factory established
[1]The company set up a facility in Lesko, Poland, producing easels and stretched canvases.
- 1991
Acquired by Sakura Color Products
[1]Royal Talens became part of Sakura Color Products Corporation, a privately owned company based in Osaka.
- 1989
Modern plant opened
[1]Royal Talens opened a modern production plant as part of its continuing industrial development.
- 1970
Acrylic paints introduced
[1]The company expanded its artistic-media portfolio with acrylic paints.
- 1963
Joined the Sikkens Group
[1]Royal Talens became part of the Sikkens Group, which was later acquired by AkzoNobel.
- 1949
Royal designation adopted
[1]The company received the designation Koninklijke and became Koninklijke Fabrieken Talens & Zoon.
- 1927
New head office completed
[1]A new Apeldoorn head office designed by P.W. van den Belt was built; the building later received industrial-monument status.
- 1912
United States sales office opened
[1]The company established a sales office in the United States as part of its early international expansion.
- 1905
Exports began to the United States and Russia
[1]Royal Talens began exporting its products beyond the Netherlands.
Products and positioning
A multi-brand fine-art materials house combining professional artist-grade products with student, hobby, graphic, and stationery ranges. The portfolio emphasizes established European art brands, broad media coverage, and international availability.
Professional fine-art materials · 1899
Rembrandt
Rembrandt is one of Royal Talens's established professional artist brands. Its range includes oil paints, acrylics, pastels, and watercolors. The brand traces its association with the company to the early Rembrandt oil colours produced around the time of the company's founding and is positioned toward artists seeking high-quality traditional and contemporary media.
Artist paints and pastels
Van Gogh
Van Gogh is a broad Royal Talens art-materials brand covering oil paints, acrylics, pastels, and watercolors. Its multi-medium assortment gives artists and students access to coordinated materials across several major painting techniques.
Acrylic paints and markers
Amsterdam
Amsterdam focuses on acrylic-based creative media, including acrylic paints, markers, spray paint, and related accessories. The range serves studio artists and users working in decorative, mixed-media, and contemporary painting applications.
Water-mixable oil colors
Cobra
Cobra is Royal Talens's water-mixable oil-color brand. It is designed to provide oil-paint characteristics while allowing colors and tools to be cleaned or managed with water rather than relying exclusively on traditional solvents.
Pens, crayons, pencils, markers, and drawing pads
Sakura
Sakura products cover writing and drawing media such as gel pens, crayons, pencils, markers, and drawing pads. The brand is part of the wider Royal Talens commercial portfolio and connects the company with graphic, illustration, stationery, and everyday creative use.
Pencils and coloring materials
Bruynzeel
Bruynzeel supplies writing pencils, colored pencils, and felt-tip products. Within Royal Talens's portfolio, it represents accessible drawing, coloring, and school or hobby-oriented media.
General art materials · 1899
Talens
The Talens name is used across oil and acrylic paints, watercolors, gouache, brushes, Indian ink, crayons, oil pastels, easels, paper, and canvas. It represents the company's broad historical art-materials identity rather than a single medium.
Hobby, textile, and glass paints
Schjerning
Schjerning provides hobby paints as well as textile and glass paints, extending Royal Talens's portfolio into craft and decorative applications beyond conventional fine-art painting.
Markers, paper, and marker ink
Talens | Pantone
Talens | Pantone is associated with marker products, marker paper, and marker ink. The line connects Royal Talens's production and distribution capabilities with Pantone-oriented color and graphic-work applications.
Brand decisions
1991
Acquisition by Sakura Color Products CorporationM&ABackground
After operating within the Sikkens and AkzoNobel corporate environment, Royal Talens entered a new ownership structure.
Action taken
Sakura Color Products Corporation acquired Royal Talens.
Aftermath
Royal Talens continued as a privately owned, internationally oriented art-materials business and retained a broad European brand portfolio.
1970
Launch of acrylic paintsProduct launchBackground
Acrylic painting was becoming an important modern medium alongside traditional oil and watercolor techniques.
Action taken
Royal Talens introduced acrylic paints to its product portfolio.
Aftermath
The launch broadened the company's fine-art offering and supported its later multi-medium brand structure.
1963
Entry into the Sikkens GroupM&ABackground
Royal Talens moved from an independent family-business context into the Sikkens Group as the company continued expanding its industrial and international operations.
Action taken
The company joined the Sikkens Group, which was later acquired by AkzoNobel.
Aftermath
Royal Talens continued operating as a subsidiary within the group before a later ownership change in 1991.
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