The Stoke-on-Trent Archives 3rd Annual Ceramic Lecture in February 2011 entitled
The Josiah Spodes: Pottery Pioneers
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| Pam Woolliscroft giving the inaugural Stoke-on-Trent City Archive Annual Ceramic Lecture, 2009 |
The father, Josiah Spode I, started from nothing to create a successful pottery business. The son, Josiah Spode II, took the business to new success and accolade. From humble beginnings this father and son team achieved worldwide success in just a few decades of the late 1700s/early 1800s.
This is a fresh look at their important roles at the beginning of the Staffordshire Pottery Industry to become, arguably, the most successful 19th century pottery business in Stoke-on-Trent. I bring together their inspiring story using well-known publications together with more recent independent research as well as my own observations.
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Postcard showing bone china toy tea service with tray, pattern 3157, c1821
To give you an idea of the scale, the tray is the about size of the postcard!
Toys were miniatures but not necessarily playthings - perhaps something a lady of wealth would collect. Spode toys in the early 19th century are of very high quality in both manufacture and decoration. |