Pattern 1917 Spode bone china Bute shape Tea Cup & Saucer introduced c1812. This beauty is decorated with a cafe au lait (coffee coloured) enamel ground, iron-red & orange flowers and is draped about with a classical blue ribbon in a form reminiscent of architectural detailing, together with rich leafy swag gilding.
This design just screams Regency Britain & Jane Austen!
This coffee coloured enamel was first seen on Spode's pattern 1112 c1807 with the Prince of Wales three feathers design. It also appears on their pattern 1396 c1809 together with tiny all over gilt leaves & their pattern 1851 c1812 decorated with puce coloured Imari flowers. All three patterns can be seen on this site.
It has the traditional Josiah Spode II gilding pattern down the kinked handle of the Tea Cup. The enamel decoration & gilding are in very good condition apart from one small area of damage on the saucer which would have been caused by a slightly rough area on the base of a cup which would slide around & scratch the saucer when in use.
This is the era in Britain before tea (or coffee cups) had saucers with a 'well' in the centre to prevent them from moving about as the hostess & her guests socialised. Special Trembleuse Cups, otherwise known as Chocolate Cups had the luxury of a saucer/stand with a well & sometimes is was quite deep but they were the exception.
Spode saucers with a well were introduced for both their tea & coffee cups (cans had gone out of fashion by this time) c1826 which was about a year before Josiah Spode II died. Spode 'Gadroon' shape in pattern 4032 c1826 & Spode 'Pembroke' shape in pattern 4406 c1829 are illustrated in Leonard Whiter's book on Spode & both designs have saucers with a well.
This is not a Spode design which is seen very often, more's the shame because it is very lovely. I have seen a pair of Spode Pot Pourri circular Baskets with handles for sale in this same pattern offered by Hyde Park Antiques, Broadway, New York, USA for $14,000. See details here: http://www.hydeparkantiques.com/item/a-pair-of-spode-potpourri-baskets-and-pierced-covers/print/
They sound rather pricey but I have only seen one other piece (a plate) in this particular Spode design of c1812 until this particular Tea Cup & Saucer turned up.
Spode's bone china production had been perfected by c1812 & as you can see the tea cup is pretty much clean inside.
Both pieces have their Spode pattern number '1917' written in red enamel to their bases and there are decorator's marks to both as well.
This Spode bute shape tea cup & saucer was purchased from John Brassey, an author of 'Mr Prendergast's Fantastic Find' fame & internet blogger on life & retirement.