*PLEASE NOTE! After I found the “Stoke-on-Trent” website I have found that some of the dates below may not be accurate.
After 21 years as an apprentice to Master Potter, Thomas Whieldon, Josiah Spode I opened his own factory in 1780. He developed the formula for bone china and is still used today. He also perfected the underglazing printing process which allowed for more intricate designs without the problem of chipping, scratching or fading.
To create an underglaze print, the design is drawn on a piece of paper then carved into a copper plate. The copper plate is then heated with oxides to produce a blue color. The excess is then wiped off and the pattern is then transferred to a piece of tissue paper. The tissue paper is then transferred to a blank ceramic piece then immersed in water. The paper floats away leaving the behind. The piece is then glazed and fired in a kiln which produces the finished product.
Set of 11 Spode-Copeland plates.
His son Josiah Spode II took over the company after his father’s death in 1797. The third generation, with Josiah Spode III, continued operating the company until a tragic accident took his life in 1829. The company was sold to Copeland Family who continued operating it until the 60’s when they merged with Royal Worchester. The new company was named Royal Worchester Spode. In 1970, to celebrate the company’s 200th anniversary, the Spode name was resurrected.
Spode-Copeland mark.
The company has produced some of the most collectible and highly sought after pieces in their 230 years of operation. Their patterns are very detailed and they maintain a high standard of quality. The company now employs around 600 and produces earthenware and fine bone china. Some of their new patterns and collections are from the company’s archives.
**I will no doubt be re-writing this entire page as some of the dates, I have just found out, may not be correct…
