Pattern 2384 Spode New Oval shape bone china Creamer decorated in an Oriental style using many different coloured enamels & rich gilding. This beautifully hand-painted pattern was introduced by Spode II c1815. The New Oval shape was introduced c1805. There are large swathes of cobalt blue enamel decorated with lavish gilding and set with reserves containing exotic birds in their native landscapes.
February 1815 had marked the end of war with America (1812-1815) & November 1815 marked the end of war with France (1803-1815). Josiah Spode II was 60 this year and had spent the last 12 years doing his best to survive in a very difficult & competitive industry; many of his fellow potters had not succeeded. As far as I am concerned this is the pinnacle of Josiah Spode II's work. The pattern range between 3000-4000 still shows flair but by 4050 (150 patterns per year x 27 years from c1800) is where I completely lose interest in Spode products.
Both of his sons, William Spode (the eldest son) who had jointly ran the London Warehouse with William Copeland & Josiah Spode III (the youngest son) who had helped to run the pottery business in Stoke-on-Trent had both retired c1812 to lead the life of country gentlemen. William Spode even went as far as to change his surname to Hammersley because the name 'Spode' linked him with a known trade name. William Spode produced no children. Snobbishness in English Society looked down on trade & regarded it as simply a means to an end.
Josiah Spode II would carry on working at the Stoke pottery for another 12 years until his death in 1827 aged 72 & William Copeland continued to run the London business until his death in 1826 when his son William Taylor Copeland took over.
When Josiah Spode II died there were no keen heirs to take on the pottery business. Josiah Spode III did emerge from his early retirement as a 'country gentleman' on the death of his father to take an interest in the Spode factory & he also moved into his father's grand house, The Mount, which is located not far from the Spode factory but he also had died within 2 years, at the age of 52 in 1829. His son, Josiah Spode IV was only six years old & there was no great interest expressed in continuance of the trade by either himself or his widowed mother.
After a period of 6 years when the pottery business was run by trustees & senior staff it was purchased in 1833 by W T Copeland & his new partner Thomas Garrett. This partnership ran both the pottery & London business until 1847.
These foreign scenes of exotic birds and Oriental landscapes would have been of great interest to many people of the Western World in the early 19th century.
This is a very beautiful piece and a matching Spode Round Sweep Neck Teapot known as a Batchelor's Teapot can be seen in the Fitzwilliam Museum Collections http://webapps.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/explorer/index.php?qu=spode&oid=40632
Batchelor Teapots were part of a mini tea set designed for 1 or 2 people
A split in the china at the base of the handle, I think this was possibly a manufacturer's fault.
A little wear to the gilding at the tip of the handle thumb rest, but otherwise a gorgeous piece of English porcelain from c1815.
Marked to its base with 'SPODE' & '2384' in iron red enamel.