Come and find out about the unexpected connections between a Staffordshire pottery and a Staffordshire plantsman.
Spode plate, 2004, printed from copper plate first produced c1840-1847 |
What? 'Pots of Orchids - A Potter and A Plantsman: Spode and Biddulph Grange'. An inspiring story of Spode history with unexpected links to orchids, Biddulph Grange and one of the largest books ever printed.
When? Saturday 9th April 2016 at 11.30am
Where? City Central Library, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3RS
Tickets: £5 from Stoke-on-Trent City Archives
How? Email: stoke.archives@stoke.gov.uk or Tel: 01782 238420
My talk focuses on Spode, described as 'Without doubt the most important factory in the 19th century' and James Bateman, orchid enthusiast from his teens. An early 19th century plant hunter who became a respected authority on rare, exotic and newly-discovered orchids. He also created the now famous Biddulph Grange Garden in Biddulph, Staffordshire.
Orchids are now commonplace. In the early 1800s previously unseen orchids were sought after by wealthy, sometimes obsessive collectors, who were prepared to pay huge prices for specimens. 'Orchidelirium' was taking hold in Britain and orchids began to be featured as art, including ceramics from Spode.
One of Bateman's collectors was the Duke of Devonshire of Chatsworth, in whose honour he named a new specimen from South America as Oncidium cavendishianum, or the Duke of Devonshire's Oncidium.
One of Bateman's collectors was the Duke of Devonshire of Chatsworth, in whose honour he named a new specimen from South America as Oncidium cavendishianum, or the Duke of Devonshire's Oncidium.
Hand coloured lithograph from Bateman's book: Duke of Devonshire's Oncidium |
My talk includes:
- A little history of the Spode pottery manufactory - from its founder Josiah Spode I to the Copeland family, successors to the Spodes
- An exploration of botanical influences on Spode designs
Copeland cup c1850-1870, hand painted with orchid from Bateman's book, Chertsey Museum |
- The Spode-Biddulph Grange connections
- A look at Bateman's huge orchid book of 1837-1843
- My discovery of fragments of Batemans's now rare book at the Spode factory, its identification and its rescue
- Designs on Spode pottery from 1800 onwards featuring botanical subjects, specifically orchids
Frontispiece to Bateman's huge orchid book, 1837-1843 |
Spode's Stafford Flowers pattern Y8519 from 1986 |