Clothing
+ Fashion
Jewelry +
Watches
Home +
Furniture
 Pottery 
+ Glass
Art +
 Photos 
Paper +
  Books  
Music +
Movies
Toys +
Games
Sports +
Outdoors
Ads +
  Signs  
Eras +
Themes

Josiah Spode founded his Spode pottery around 1770 at Stroke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. Even before Spode arrived, this area was well known as “The Potteries,” one of Britain’s most important districts for the production of porcelain.

In 1785, Spode began producing its line of blue-on-pearl china, which was to become its first success thanks to the skill of designer Thomas Minton in the early 1790s. Spode’s pieces were distinctive for the depth and richness of their blue color—the pottery refined its own cobalt to achieve the effect. This blue-and-white china remained one of Spode’s most distinctive products for decades to come, though Spode also produced a variety of unglazed lines, including basalts, redwares, and canewares...

When Josiah Spode passed away, his son, Josiah Spode II, took over the business in 1797. Spode II continued the research his father had begun into bone-ash porcelain. Potteries had experimented with adding burnt animal bone to their porcelain for a few decades, but Spode II perfected the proportions of this mix between 1797 and 1798.

A mix of between 33 and 50 percent burnt animal bone, plus equal amounts of feldspar and quartz, yielded porcelain that was extremely white, strong, cheap to produce, and translucent. This bone-ash, or soft-paste, porcelain soon spread to other British potteries, giving England the boost it needed to stay competitive in the international market. By 1820, Spode’s approach to porcelain became the standard formula for bone china. Spode’s porcelain pieces often featured elaborate painted decorations, sometimes with exotic or foreign characters in novel scenes.

With the popularity of its bone-ash porcelain, Spode became the most successful Staffordshire pottery from 1800 to 1833. Its pieces had few flaws compared to the products of other companies—its glaze did not craze, its colors did not flake. Spode produced a wide variety of lines, including tea wares, dinner wares, and dessert wares, alongside incense burners, pen trays, cabinet pieces, and more. Master decorator Henry Daniel fostered high-quality designs on Spode’s polychromatic and gilded pieces, and C. F. Hürten painted many exquisite vases.

Each Spode piece was marked with the family name alongside a pattern number in red. This pattern number started at 1 in 1800—by 1833, it had reached 5000. Pattern #1166 is particularly noteworthy for its elaborate decoration. Other noteworthy pattern lines included Willow, which was first developed by Josiah Spode I around 1790; Tower; Camilla; and London, which was copied by many other makers between 1815 and 1825. Spode also produced imitation Chinese wares. Before 1805, these pieces featured a “Spode Stone China” mark alongside a fake Chinese seal.

In 1833, William Taylor Copeland took the reins at Spode after Josiah Spode III died, and he renamed the company Copeland and Garrett. In 1847, Copeland and Garrett became W. T. Copeland, and then W. T. Copeland and Sons in 1867. During this period, the company began producing Parian ware, its line of statuary porcelain busts and figures.

These small-scale figures were inspired by (and sometimes simply replicated) classical sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome, and they were finished to resemble marble. These affordable pieces allowed the general public to bring fine classical art into their homes. Copeland displayed these figures at the 1851 London Great Exhibition, where they were extremely successful and popular. Alongside the Parian figures, Copeland continued to produce fine bone china and earthenware.

Copeland’s production facilities remained at Spode’s original Staffordshire location. In 1970, the company’s name changed back to Spode Ltd., which became Royal Worcester Spode Ltd. in 1976. Royal Worcester Spode experienced severe financial difficulties in the 2000s and was purchased by Portmeirion in April 2009. Portmeirion has continued to use the Royal Worcester Spode name in its product line.

About our sources | Got something to add?

▼ Expand to read the full article ▼

Show & Tell - Share Your Stuff!

» See all Spode Show & Tells

Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Howard Coutts, Ceramics Curator Of The Bowes Museum

I’m the curator of the ceramics bit of the Bowes Museum. It’s a big museum with 30 galleries of which three or four are devoted to… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Thepotteries.org

Thepotteries.org

Steve Birks' super deep site is a tribute to a bygone era, chronicling how a pottery center of excellence (they did… [read review or visit site]

The Bowes Museum: Ceramics

The Bowes Museum: Ceramics

This gallery showcases 2,130 of the 5,000 items in the museum's ceramics collection dating from 1500-1900. Include… [read review or visit site]

Ceramics at The V&A

Ceramics at The V&A

A great reference on ceramics from the Victoria and Albert Museum. Learn about different ceramics techniques and st… [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: China and Dinnerware

Top eBay Auctions

Showing 60. See all 125 by  highest bidmost watchedcompleted
Rare Prob. Spode Porcelain Tulip Form Ice Cup, Imari Decoration, Poss. DerbySpode "trade Winds" Tea Set - H.e.j.c. Thomas Coutts - W128 Copeland Spode * Fairy Dell * Dinnerware 33 Piece Beautiful Vintage SetCopeland Spode Greek Pattern Brown Serving Dish Copeland Spode Greek Pattern Brown Serving Dish Copeland Spode Vintage Spode's Byron Beehive Shaped Coffee Pot ?SpodeSet Of 12 Spode Buttercup 8.5" Luncheon Plates - Old Mark 2/7873Spode Trade Winds Blue Dinner Set 6 Pcs Dinner Salad Dessert Cup Saucer Plates +Spode Trade Winds Blue Dinner Set 6 Pcs Plates Cup Saucer Bowl Dinner Salad EtcSpode Trade Winds Blue Dinner Set 6 Pcs W146 Dinner Salad Bread Dessert Cup EtcSpode Trade Winds Blue Dinner Set 6 Pcs W 146 Dinner Salad Bread Dessert Cup +11 Old Copeland Spode Rosalie 8 3/4 Inch Luncheon Plates Square Y5449 Kent Bone China England 8 Half Cups & Saucers Reproduction Of A SpodeCopeland Spode Canton 10" Dinner Plates Lot Of SevenSpode Blue Bird 12 1/4" Platter, 10 3/4" Oval Vegetable Bowl & Gravy Boat Wstand3 Spode Buttercup 8 3/4" Square Luncheon Plates - Old MarkCopeland Spode Vintage Spode's Byron Small Round Divided Copeland Spode Vintage Spode's Byron Lidded Warming Dish.5 Spode Spice Jars Small Blue Room England Sage Mint Bay Thyme Parsley Copeland Spode Canton 15 Inch PlatterCopeland Spode Vintage Spode's Byron 4 Bar Toast RackSpode Copeland Eggcup Circa 1891 LovelySpode China Woodland Woodlands Mallard Duck Covered Butter Dish Edwardian Childhood Spode Child Set 3 Pc. Cup Bowl Plate Nice!Copeland Spode Vintage Spode's Byron Half Moon Crescent Dish (b)Copeland Spode Vintage Spode's Byron Half Moon Crescent Dish (a)Spode Italian Blue White Table Lamp Spode ~ Blue Italian ~ Coffee Pot ~ 5cup ~ England Spode Vase, Willow, New, EnglandCopeland Spode Canton Lot Of 5 8 1/4 Inch Rimmed Cream Soup BowlsSpode Copeland Tower Pattern Blue Dinner Plates (2) Mint Beautiful!! Spode Summer Palace Serving Platter 12" X 9" S3588-ao Copeland Spode England Spode's Aster Gravy Boat With Attached Underplate (rare)Spode Serving Platter 14" X 11" W150 Summer Palace Oven To TablewareGorgeous Old Copeland Spode Italian Gadrooned Rectangular Serving Dish, 1930sCopeland Spode Canton Lot Of Six 4 1/2 Inch Berry Bowls Copeland Spode Canton Lot Of 5 6 1/4 Inch Fruit BowlsRoyal Doulton Figurine The Wigmaker Of Williamsburg, England Bone China 8 InchSpode Blue Signature Collection Large "net" Bowl - Numbered EditionCopeland Spode Canton (smooth) Lot Of Demitasse Cups (4) And Saucers (6)Set Of 4 Spode Blue Room Porcelain Christmas Plates Number 1, 2, 4 And An Extra!Set Of 4 Spode Blue Room Porcelain Square Luncheon Dinner Plates Flower Themed Copeland Spode Vintage Spode's Byron Beehive Shaped Lidded Water JugSpode Christmas Tree Gravy Boat With Under Plate S32241x Spode Limited Edition The Millenium Collection Plate Mar 1765Older Copeland Spode’s Tower England Red Transferware TeapotSpode Gobelin R9641 Scalloped 10 5/8" Dinner Plate Mint ConditionSet 3 Spode Copeland Northwestern University PlatesSpode Summer Palace Set Of Five Cereal (fruit/dessert) 6 1/4" Bowls Spode Blue Room Collection Georgian Series Girl At Well Cookie Covered Jar L0906Copeland Spode Reynolds Pattern Scalloped Edge Serving DishNew Spode Large Square Serving Bowl - Woodland Hunting DogsCopeland Spode 13" Chop Plate Serving Platter Buttercup Pattern 1930's MarkSpode Tea Cup Saucer Edwardian Childhood England New Blue Room 2 Pcs PorcelainSpode England Stafford Flowers Weigela & Lavender Oven To TablewareLot Of 11 Spode Christmas Tree S3324 Cereal BowlsSpode Reynolds Coffee PotVintage Copeland Spode "wicker Dale' Four (4) Piece Setting Fine Porcelain China4 Spode Blue Italian (camilla,newer) Big Large Coupe Soup Bowl 8.75"
»» Get our weekly Spode China email



Right now on eBay



Recent News: Spode China

Source: Google News

Area Yard Sales for May 19-20
Patch.com, May 19th

Spode, JFK portrait, outdoor motor, garden tools, Southwest items, fishing rod and reels among items for sale. By Linda Henninger Let Oak Lawn Patch help you sell your stuff. Share your garage or yard sale in "Events." 2 Alice Lane, Commack...Read more

The Expo Files by Stieg Larsson– review
The Guardian, May 18th

Yet I can never think of Oswald Mosley or Nick Griffin, without simultaneously picturing PG Wodehouse's Roderick Spode and the Black Shorts. The pagan pomposity of Larsson's thugs, their Wagnerian self-importance, their magazines called Valhalla and...Read more

Flannery's Estate Services
Antiques and Arts Weekly, May 13th

Auctoneer's Note: Sale to include Majority of Manhattan West side estate & Rye, NY Mid centur y modern home including Antiques, Lighting, Fine Art, Silver, Mid century modern furnishings, Antique weather vanes, loads of estate curious lots, pottery...Read more

Art students inspired by Potteries' history
This is Staffordshire, May 11th

from Newcastle-under-Lyme College, studying for a Foundation degree in Contemporary Art Practice, were approached by the British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) to create pieces inspired by one of Stoke-on-Trent's most famous pottery companies – Spode...Read more

Developers eye up former Spode pottery site
This is Staffordshire, May 11th

They include a footbridge linking the town centre with the train station and the University Quarter, while the Spode works buildings are to be developed as an exhibition space, cafes, and a pottery attraction as part of a "creative community...Read more

Former Spode factory to become workshop ahead of London Olympics
This is Staffordshire, May 1st

SCHOOLCHILDREN will celebrate the arrival of the Olympic Torch by wearing flags and costumes created at an iconic former pottery factory. Stoke's Spode Factory is being turned into a workshop ahead of the London Olympics, which start at the end of July...Read more

Kirkus Reviews: 'Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale' by Lynda Rutledge ...
Austin American-Statesman, April 28th

Surprised and delighted to catch sight of the reclusive Faith, neighbors descend upon the Darlings' lawn to snap up Tiffany lamps and Spode china for quarters. Alarmed less by Faith's evident Alzheimer's than by the shocking loss of capital,...Read more

New Twists On A Titanic Style Meal
Forbes, April 26th

The dishes won't be on the original cobalt blue and gold china by Spode, but, if you want, you can have Spode recreate pattern R4331, for a hefty price tag. Hors d'oeuvre varies and oysters started the evening although what kind we're not sure as there...Read more