Pattern 586 Spode bone china Bute shape Tea Cup & Saucer hand decorated in iron red enamel with rich gilding. The border design was influenced by Oriental Export porcelain which had been so desirable in previous decades & the iron red enamel colour could have come from either Japanese, Chinese or European influence. Many Greek, Egyptian and Italian cultures loved this rich & earthy colour. This same border pattern had been used previously by Josiah Spode II on his highly successful pattern 282. Josiah Spode II introduced this pattern 586 c1803.
Some wear through-out the last 200+ years is starting to show but this is still a remarkable piece of porcelain. Iron-red was a difficult colour to fire, if the temperature varied so did the eventual colour & the firing temperature had to be much lower than that for cobalt blue otherwise it spoilt. Controlling the firing temperature was also not an easy job. Firing at a lower temperature makes the colour more vulnerable to damage from scratching. So in this case I am prepared to overlook a few blemishes between friends.
No identifying marks to their bases but just look at that lovely handle & gilt work!
A beautiful Spode bone china Old Oval shape Teapot in pattern number 586 dating to c1803. No doubt this would have looked sensational on a Georgian mahogany side table with its accompanying tea service pieces.
Here inside is the usual Spode Teapot interior with its domed strainer at the base of the spout.
The base of this Spode pattern 586 Teapot has an impressed potter's mark but if it had a pattern number applied, probably in gilt during this period, it has worn away with age.