Pattern 2232 Spode bone china Bute shape Tea Cup & Saucer decorated with pretty pink English roses sitting back to back amongst lush green foliage & set in gilt reserves on a wide band of cobalt blue enamel further embellished with more gilt foliage. This lovely Spode design was produced c1814.
This is one year after Spode introduced his London shape tea wares which quickly became popular. This is getting closer towards being one of the last bute shaped cups Spode produced.
This would have been such a lovely Tea Service for a hostess to use. I'm sure any Regency lady of quality & fashion would have been delighted with it.
There is some wear to the gilding around the top rim of the tea cup & the saucer but it is lovely regardless.
I have spotted a better one together with a matching Sugar Box & Creamer but unfortunately I can't get my hands on them. They are sadly locked away at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne & not even on display! You can see them in all their beauty here (excellent photographs - more museums should aspire to this level of quality):
What an absolute little beauty!
Nicely marked to the base of this tea cup with 'SPODE' & its pattern number '2232' in red enamel. Some stray cobalt blue smudging, the Spode decorator of c1814 left his or her mark for posterity.