Pattern 967 Spode bone china Bute shape Coffee Can design introduced c1806. This is another Chinese or Japanese Imari design probably copied from an original 18th century Export piece. This design was extremely popular with Spode's customers and became synonymous with Spode. It was reproduced with variations by the Spode & Copeland factory for the next 200 years.
The design is all hand-painted and depicts a very stylised 'Fenced Oriental Garden' scene together with exotic flowers & trees. You can see that either some of the gilt line at the base of this coffee can has been worn away or it got missed when the gilder was working on this particular piece.
The Imari palate of enamels includes more green with this particular pattern & obviously it struck a chord with Spode's customers.
It has enough gilding to look impressive & lovely by candlelight but not too much which would have made it prohibitively expensive for some customers.
A Spode beaded 'Parisian' Vase with curious, gilded beast handles in this same pattern number 967 can be seen in the National Trust Collections here: http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1296241
Beautifully white porcelain but it still has some tiny kiln dust imperfections if you look very closely
This Spode coffee can is marked to its base with the pattern number '967' in gilt. It was in September of 1806 that the Prince of Wales, later to become King George IV and the Duke of Clarence, later King William IV together with many other Lords & VIPs visited the Spode manufacturing site in Stoke-on-Trent. Josiah, Henry Daniel & all their workforce obviously rose to this important occasion and subsequently Josiah Spode II was granted the privilege of being known as 'Potter & English Porcelain manufacturer to His Royal Highness'.
A small Spode Pot Pourri Basket/covered custard cup/pail, in this same pattern 967, can be seen in the Fitzwilliam Museum Collections here: http://webapps.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/explorer/index.php?qu=spode&oid=74377
Here is a pattern 967 Spode New Oval shape bone china Creamer c1806. The shape was introduced the previous year c1805 at Spode. It is in good condition and obviously its many owners over the years have taken very good care of it.
All hand-painted with exotic looking flowers
The cobalt blue line has bled a little
Almost as new 200+ years later
Slightly discoloured inside & with a stray spot of blue enamel
This creamer is marked to its base with its pattern number '967' in gilt, this would date to c1806. If someone didn't know otherwise this number could be mis-read as '496'.