Spode and Churchill

Manufacturing the Churchill statuette, 1941

In Danny Boyle's memorable opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics there were many wonderful scenes and surprises. One reminded me of Spode when a full-length statue of Churchill came 'alive' as James Bond supposedly escorted HM The Queen over London in a helicopter.

Toby Jug, c1941

In 1941, during the Second World War, Spode made a statuette of Churchill. An image here shows a process in the manufacture of the figure, assembling different parts from the moulds, before its first firing. For some reason I rather like the marching crowd of headless ones on the left of the image.

The statuette was produced in both bone china and earthenware and was made in plain white as well as decorated. When decorated, by handpainting, it had a black jacket, pinstriped trousers and a black hat. But when it was reissued in 1965, following the death of Churchill, the trousers had no pinstripes. Possibly for reasons of costing!

The statuette was designed by Eric Olsen (more can be found about him under O on my Spode ABC) and was just one of several items produced by the company during the Second World War. As well as the statuette there was a jug featuring Churchill's portrait, ashtrays and a Toby Jug. This latter was also designed by Eric Olsen.

Two other commemorative items were produced by Spode in 1965: a covered vase for famous retailer Thomas Goode; and a bust by Oscar Nemon, produced in conjunction with him, from his sculpture commissioned by HM The Queen in 1952 or 1953. The marketing literature describes the project with an illustration of the bust and if you click the blue and white image it should open large enough to read. The bust remained in the Spode catalogue until 1974 when it retailed at £18.

Marketing material, 1965

Spode and The Olympics?

As the 2012 Olympics were in the UK I tried very hard to link Spode with this major international event! Regulars to my blog will know I try to be topical and I confess this has almost defeated me. But defeat is not what the Olympics are about so here goes...

In 1955 Spode produced and elegant modern design by Harold Holdway called Olympus with pattern number S2933. As well as being very modern for Spode this design was also produced on the newly invented Murray Curvex machine which was researched, invented and developed at Spode with Guy Murray. The work on this new type of printing was so secret it had a code name... yes really.

It was 'Harps'.

Olympus engraved copper plate, chromed

Plate, Olympus pattern on two-tone eartthenware

Olympus is a beautiful design illustrating Holdway's great skill at elegant simplicity. It was produced on a two-tone green and white earthenware of Flemish Green and Imperial. This two-tone range in these colours was called Fortuna. (A bit more about Fortuna can be found on my Golf page and on my Spode ABC).

'Statue of Jupiter Olympus' plate, Gadroon shape c1950s

Another pattern by Spode in 1898 has a tenuous connection. It is called The Seven Wonders of the World, thankfully often shortened to Wonders. Printed on earthenware the pattern was produced in different colours with different borders and on different shapes. It became popular again for some reason in the 1950s (see the black and white image). The original design was registered with the British Patent Office with number 317544 on 20th April 1898.

The 7 centres were recorded by Spode as The Great Temple of Diana; The Statue of Jupiter Olympus; The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus; The Colossus of Rhodes; The Pyramids of Egypt; The Walls and Hanging Gardens of Babylon; and The Pharos of Alexandria (spelling as in the Spode papers).

1962 Perth backstamps

Commonwealth Games, Perth Tankard, 1962

The closest I can get to an international sporting event is a Spode tankard made for the Commonwealth Games in 1962. It was produced on Spode's stone china stone china body called, by this period, Fine Stone. It also had an additional backstamp specially designed for the event.

This specially commissioned commemorative item was also designed by Harold Holdway. I love it!

Spode and Tennis

Whenever the Wimbledon Tennis Championships are on I think of the links between Spode and tennis. Surprised? But yes, of course, there are connections.

I recall that the Lawn Tennis Museum at Wimbledon has some Spode pieces in its collection made during the Copeland ownership of the company. It includes a jelly/blancmange mould with crossed tennis rackets, tennis balls and nets as the design. I would have liked to have to seen (and perhaps tasted) the jelly/blancmange made from it! Other objects were made too, sometimes in conjunction with a metalware manufacturer, for example a ceramic dish fitting into a suitably tennis-themed, silver-plated stand.

Tennis Set c1869

Tennis as we know it today began to blossom in the 1860s/1870s and could be a genteel affair for the well-to-do with elegant tennis parties. The Spode company made some of the most exquisite pieces at this period known as tennis sets. These comprised a teacup or coffee cup on an elongated 'saucer' which left room for a delicate cucumber sandwich or similar by the cup.

Interestingly these were aimed at the highest end of the market with renowned Spode artists painting the intricate and beautiful designs (the Spode pattern books record the names) and with raised and chased gold decoration on the finest bone china.

They seem to be uncommon...the one illustrated above is a plainer version. But it is still decorated with a complicated and expensive method known as 'groundlaying' in a deep crimson and is also gilded. This shape design was registered with the British Patent Office in July 1869.

Tennis set from The Met Museum c1871

The quite amazing tennis set from the Met Museum, where it is simply described as a cup and saucer, would have been one of the most expensive designs to buy. With a saucer shaped as a leaf it shows the skill of the ceramics artists and designers. Just look at the way the exquisite pure white of Spode's translucent bone china is left undecorated to great effect. It has beautifully handpainted autumnal colours to the leaf moulding; and the gold was burnished and chased after firing - a very sophisticated and skilled finish to the gilding.

In about 1870 the 'tennis set' shape was also used for a beautifully handpainted and gilded Christmas pattern of holly and mistletoe presumably unconnected with tennis but perfect for coffee and a mince pie!

Later in the 20th century this elongated shape was revived by Spode as the slightly more mundane 'TV plate' to accompany that new-fangled invention, and later still, in the early 21st century, as a 'tea and toast' set.

Spode Wimbledon centenary plate (detail), 1977

In 1977 for the centenary of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club Spode produced a plate to celebrate the occasion, decorated in the club colours and featuring crossed tennis racquets, presented in a satin-lined box.

Another Stoke-on-Trent pottery manufacturing family, the Shelleys were responsible for introducing tennis to North Staffordshire. Thank you to my sister, Val Bott, for the research. She, with our parents and brother, owned and lived in the Shelley's house, The Southlands, for a time. I didn't exist then so was born too late for this treat! The tennis courts were, I believe, still there in the grounds at that time.