Pattern 1978 Spode bone china Bute shape Coffee Can decorated on the outside with a band of pale lavender blue enamel, 'Floral Embossed' moulded sprays & gilt floral sprays. The charm of this pattern is the very pretty, hand-painted English flower sprays on the inside.
This design was introduced c1813 by Spode which was also the date of the launch of their London shape tea wares which would go on to reach equal sales within two years and to surpass the old bute shape by around 1818-1820. It is the beginning of the end for the lovely Spode Bute shaped Coffee Cans; they were only in fashion & production from around 1800 to 1820 until revived much, much later after the Victorian obsession with frills had passed by.
Britain was still at war with France (and would continue to be so until 1815), this had closed virtually every export market in Europe except Russia, to the many pottery businesses in the Staffordshire area. Britain was also at war with America between 1812-1815 although the pottery industry continued its trade with America during this period.
The British Government was desperate for money and had raised taxes on their ceramic products during 1811 resulting in 30 potters filing for bankruptcy in that year alone. Times were not easy for Josiah Spode II or Josiah Wedgwood Junior who wrote that his business was not worth carrying on (fortunately they did however because the only alternative was bankruptcy or retirement if you had made sufficient money previously).
Times were extremely hard during these years & unemployment & food shortages were common throughout Britain. The industry depended on both its American & internal markets for sales so designs had to be uplifting & encourage customers to buy again with the newest shapes & decorative fashions.
Most designs of this period are either Imari or pretty florals and often the design incorporated both ideas.
This coffee can is clearly marked with 'SPODE' and its pattern number '1978' to its base in red enamel dating it to around 1815-1820.
A part Dessert Service in Spode's pattern 2004 which is similar to this & a set of 18 cups & saucers in pattern 1978 previously owned by Peggy & David Rockefeller was sold by Christies New York on 10th May 2018 for $37,500 you can see it here: