A while ago I blogged about
Spode Patterns in the Very Early 1800s and looked at some of the first 600 patterns recorded in the Spode Pattern Books which are now in the
Spode archive.
I thought it time to look at some more designs from the early 1800s.
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| Cress dish & stand, creamware, pattern 687 c1805 |
Spode's pattern 687 was first recorded in about 1805. It is a simple but effective design. Here it is shown on a cress dish and stand. You can find all about this piece in another of my blogposts
Spode and a Cress Dish.
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'French Jar' pattern 711 c1805
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Pattern 711 is a sumptuous design with handpainted flower subjects on a gilded ground. It too was first recorded in about 1805. It is interesting to compare the two very different designs, 687 and 711, from the same period.
The name of the shape of this vase in pattern 711 is '
French Jar' as recorded in Spode's 1820 Shape Book,
the must-see document in the Spode archive giving the contemporary names for objects of the period, rather than modern, often 'made up' ones. It also helps researchers to identify lesser known objects which are now not so common.
Many Spode enthusiasts are more familiar with the '
New Shape French Jar' recorded in the same volume. The one here with pattern 711 is the 'old' shape but when recorded the 'new' one was yet to be designed so it was simply recorded as '
French Jar'. You can see a
New Shape French Jar by clicking/tapping
here.
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| Matchpot, (front), pattern 711 c1805 |
Also in pattern 711 is a '
Matchpot' or '
Match Pot'. Sometimes these tall, narrow matchpots are called spill vases but this is not a phrase found in the Spode records until much, much later in the 1800s and then rarely. Matchpots sat on mantelpieces holding 'matches' which were little pieces of wood, twists of paper, cord etc. which could be lit from the fire and then used to light tapers, candles, lamps etc. This predated tipped, striking matches with which we are more familiar. These types of wares with this expensive decoration were for the well-to-do customer.
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| Matchpot, (rear), pattern 711 c1805 |
Just like the '
French Jar' above, the matchpot is exuberant, rich yet not gaudy, with fresh-looking flowers flowing all around the shape on a gilded background. Gorgeous!
In Spode of this period there is often no Spode backstamp, just a pattern number in this case 711. Research in the Spode papers, and experience, means it can be identified as Spode.
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| 'Lizard Bottle & Stopper', bone china, pattern 711 c1805 |
Another item in pattern 711 is on a shape recorded as '
Lizard Bottle & Stopper'. Amongst the flowers in the pattern you can see a moulded or embossed hieroglyph which led to this name but I am not certain of the reasoning behind it - it could be a factory name or it could have some meaning associated with the Egyptian alphabet. There was an
Egyptian influence on design in the early 1800s at Spode.
Confusingly even without the 'lizard' moulding the bottle sometimes retained this shape name! A very similar shape without the lizard but with raised moulded hoops around the body of the bottle is recorded as '
Dutch covered bottle'. Both were for perfume and available in a range of small sizes.
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| Teacup & saucer, bone china, Bute shape, platinum lustre & gold, pattern 822 c1806 |
Pattern 822 first recorded in about 1806 is one of a range of amazing designs using
platinum lustre which was possibly/probably invented at the Spode factory during the period
Henry Daniel worked with Spode II. Ceramic decoration we take for granted - ceramic colours, metals, techniques, lustres - was being developed by various manufacturers and specialists battling with the technical difficulties in a new industry in the late 1700s/early 1800s. Spode was at the forefront of this.
Platinum lustre gave a mirror-like effect. Unlike silver lustre, platinum did not tarnish and was a little more hard wearing. Combined with gold and Spode's very white, translucent
bone china the designs are very elegant, not at all gaudy, but with a feeling of extravagance.
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| Detail inside cup and solid gilding to handle, pattern 822 c1806 |
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| Teacup, bone china, Bute shape, pattern 831 c1806 |
Pattern 831 also of about 1806 seen here on a teacup, has bands of platinum lustre and gold combined with a beautiful oriental design in red and gold - some will be familiar with the design as it is the same as the border to a famous Spode blue printed design called
Geranium. In pattern 831 the combination of the platinum, gold and red is stunning. (Poor photo - sorry).
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| 'Lizard Bottle & Stopper', bone china, pattern 868 c1806 |
Pattern 868 is a design strongly influenced by Chinese porcelain patterns. Here it is shown on a '
Lizard Bottle & Stopper'. The pattern was first recorded in about 1806. Compare the effect of a different design from the same shape in pattern 711 above.
Also in Oriental style is pattern 941 first recorded a year later in about 1807.
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| Plate, earthenware, pattern 941 c1807 |
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| Teacup, bone china, Bute shape, pattern 1053 c1808 |
A very pretty design has pattern number 1053 first recorded in about 1808 in complete contrast to the Chinese porcelain inspired patterns produced at the same time.
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| A range of wares, bone china, pattern 1166 c1808 |
To finish this post I thought it would be nice to look at one of Spode's most famous patterns of the early 1800s. It has a memorable number - 1166. It is so beautiful I gave it its own blogpost which you can find by clicking/tapping
here.
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| Detail of pattern 1166 |
So this post still only covers some of Spode's patterns up to 1808. There are thousands more patterns to go... and I hope to add more in the future
Meanwhile you can find mention of other early 19th century Spode pattern numbers dotted about this blog - use c18** in the search box.
Remember there are also the transfer printed patterns produced in the early 1800s too which were not recorded in the pattern books. See
Italian,
Geranium and
Tower.
