Pattern 1185 Spode bone china Square Deep Dish decorated using the 'Pluck & Dust' printing method in iron-red enamel together with rich gilding. This pattern was introduced c1807 & was created solely for the Prince of Wales following his visit to the Spode factory works the previous year. I'm tempted to think the Prince of Wales had the Brighton Pavilion in mind when he ordered this Dinner or Dessert Service.
It has an ozier (moulded basket-weave) border decorated with red columns and fancy gilt work & it carries the special Prince of Wales three feathers mark on its base. This is the first moulded decoration Josiah Spode produced on bone china.
The central design was known as 'Bamboo' which had already been introduced in 1806 as pattern 981 and it was given this elaborate border for this special royal order. 'Bamboo' design has the reference number P501 in David Drakard & Paul Holdway's book 'Spode Transfer Printed Ware 1784-1833'.
This dish had been part of the Copeland China Collection & its photograph appears in the above book illustrated on page 83 (2002 edition) & it is also illustration number 157 in 'Spode, a History of the Family, Factory & Wares from 1733 to 1833' written by Leonard Whiter (second edition 1978); this dish is noted as being in the Spode Museum at this time.
The back of the dish shows the special Spode Prince of Wales three feathers motif which was printed in iron red; this special backstamp was used for Spode ceramic pieces created solely for the Prince of Wales. It also shows some wear & discolouration of the ceramic body.
It was sold c2013 either at or around the time of the Bonham's, Copeland China Collection sale at Trelissick House, Cornwall, UK & found its way into the Howell Collection of early Spode ceramics based in NSW, Australia.
On 27th August 2017 the Howell Collection of early Spode ceramics was put up for sale held by Barsby Auction house, Crows Nest, NSW 2065, Australia. You can see that it is the same dish by the stain below & to the left of the special backstamp on its base.
This was lot number 3251 & was sold to Moorabool Antique Dealers of Geelong, Australia along with many other pieces from the Copeland China Collection here are their sale details:
So this special dish has had quite a journey & has now returned safely home.
A Spode Dinner Plate in this same pattern with the special Prince of Wales feathers backstamp together with several cups, cans, saucers etc was also sold at Bonham's auction of the Copeland China Collection on 24th July 2013 at Trelissick House, Truro, Cornwall Lot 454, (Bonham's did not give any pattern number details on their descriptions of the items), you can see it here:
The latest & most interesting development on this particular Spode pattern has been the surfacing of a Dessert Tureen & a set of 8 matching plates which were sold by Shapiro Auctioneers in Sydney, Australia on 7 May 2019. Marked to their bases with the Prince of Wales three feathers special backstamp, how did these pieces of Royal porcelain find their way to the other side of the globe? Again the description by the auction house does not provide the Spode pattern number, nor does it provide any information on the previous Collection/Owner, see the details here:
Back in 2002 a Spode pattern 1185 Dinner plate was sold together with two other Worcester pieces by Christies in New York, USA. On this occasion the auction house did provide a pattern number but it was wrong; they called it pattern 1112. See the details here: