| More than excellent quality attracts collectors
to Spode; elegant designs, from the brilliantly colored floral motifs
of Billinglsey Rose(c.1894) and Buttercup to Oriental styles like
India (c.1815) and Spode's Willow have drawn tableware buyers to Spode
for decades. Spode designs were greatly influenced by the family's
association with William Copeland, a London broker and tea merchant;
in many cases, Spode lifted design concepts directly from the elaborately
decorated papers used to wrap the tea leaves Copeland imported from
China. Trade with Asia was booming in the early 1800s, and as Europeans
became entranced by Oriental design, Spode patterns became wildly
popular.
Together, the Spodes and Copeland opened a showroom in London,
exposing Spode China to the burgeoning British merchant class and
to sea traders who soon carried it around the world. Spode's success
at selling inexpensive bone china with an Oriental flavor brought
the importation of Chinese pottery almost to a halt.
After Josiah Spode II died, Copeland bought the pottery, adding
exquisite hand-decorated parian figures, plaques, vases and tablewares
under the Copeland name while continuing many popular Spode patterns.
New Spode patterns in the Victorian era depicted English country
and hunt scenes as well as flora motifs; special export china in
Spanish styles was created to sell in Mexico and South America,
and later in Florida and California. An area of surprise and interest
to modern Spode collectors is the variety of non-tableware pieces
produced with any number of Spode or Spode/Copeland marks in the
late 1800s, including vases, bidets, and ornamental items.
While collectors are increasingly discovering unusual pieces of
Spode, most seek out the attractive dinnerware patterns. Now a part
of Royal Worcester China, Spode is still produced in Red and Blue
Tower and certain other patterns; new pieces are easily told from
old by their stylized blue marks. Whether the collector desires
a complete set of Wickerland or an individual plate, gravy bowl,
or serving dish in cheery Spode Christmas pattern, Spode's timeless
designs and widespread distribution make it easy to build a collection.
Attractive Spode China services will remain a part of family holiday
tradition for many Christmases yet to come.
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