Pattern 2375 Spode bone china London shape Coffee Cups. This pattern was probably a direct copy taken from a piece of Oriental Imari Export porcelain. Hand-painting the inside & outside of a graduated cup would not have been easy and this design shows the great skill of Spode's decorating team, lead by Henry Daniel. This opulent design was introduced c1815.
The London shape cups had been introduced in 1813 and were an immediate success. From now on the number of Spode bute shape tea cups & coffee cans produced would decline - more's the pity because I really love the unfussy, modern looking, Bute shape.
A bevy of beauties! There are still a few random specks of cobalt blue enamel or kiln dust to be found inside but generally far less than previous years.
This is a traditional Oriental Imari design comprising of a peony in an urn or vase, sitting on a fenced garden terrace. The colours are also in the traditional Imari palate of iron red & cobalt blue together with sumptuous gilding.
Again these are all marked to their bases with 'SPODE' & their pattern number '2375' in red enamel c1815.
These Spode London shape Coffee Cups only held approximately 4 fluid ounces (a fifth of a pint) or 100 mls so you would need several cups to quench your thirst. Surprisingly, the Spode London shape Tea Cups didn't really hold anymore liquid even though they appear to be larger. The Spode Tea Cups were wider but shorter & more vulnerable to spillage & so you would not want to fill them quite as high.