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Josiah Spode Dinner Plates

British, 1733-1797

English potter Josiah Spode, a friend and neighbor of another estimable English ceramist, Josiah Wedgwood, established his eponymous pottery and homewares company in 1770 in Stoke-on-Trent. Spode is one of the oldest and most distinguished of the great pottery companies of Staffordshire, the time-honored home of English ceramics. Within fifteen years of its opening, Josiah’s company became known for its signature blue-on-white palette, and one of the manufacturer’s designers developed a specific cobalt hue for their teapots, trays, bowls and more. 

Spode’s founder apprenticed at the Fenton Low workshop under Thomas Whieldon, an important 18th-century potter known today for his tortoiseshell ware (as did Josiah Wedgwood). Later, after establishing his company, Josiah Spode became particularly revered for two technical achievements in the firm’s early decades. The first was to develop a standard formula for the making of bone china — a type of porcelain (made with a mixture of bone ash, minerals and clay) that is dazzlingly white and so strong it can be used to create very thin translucent plates and vessels. The other was to perfect the making of transferware. That process involves the transfer of pictorial images inked on tissue paper — such as the garden scenery in the famous Willow dish patterns — onto ceramics that are then sealed with a glaze. 

In 1833, entrepreneurs William Taylor Copeland (the Lord Mayor of London at the time) and Thomas Garrett purchased Spode’s pottery-making company following the death of Josiah Spode III, and the name was changed to Copeland Spode. Then, in 1847, Copeland became the firm’s sole owner and the name changed again, this time to W. T. Copeland and Sons, in 1867 when Copeland retired and his four sons took over the business. 

Trading as W. T. Copeland and Sons throughout the mid-to-late 19th century, the company found a formidable competitor in another well-known porcelain maker, Minton. Many of the manufacturer’s Georgian, Rococo and late-Victorian pieces such as its dinner plates, tableware, platters, bowls and baskets were commissioned by wealthy British and European clients and exported for sale throughout the British Empire and to the United States. Several of W. T. Copeland and Sons’ spectacular pieces were exhibited at the Great Exhibition of London in 1851 and the International Exhibitions of London and Paris in 1862 and 1878, respectively.

Spode enjoyed tremendous success both in Britain and elsewhere owing to the beauty and vitality of its decorative imagery. By some counts, Spode created more than 40,000 patterns in the 19th century. Many favorite Spode patterns — among them Blue Italian, India Tree, Greek and Woodland — date to the company’s early years. Spode’s most popular pattern, Christmas Tree, was introduced in 1938. Prices for Spode china vary widely, based on the size of the service, its condition and the pattern, and collectors regard Copeland-marked pieces as Spode china.

The company continued as W. T. Copeland and Sons until 1970 when Spode again became the brand's name. Afterward, during the late 1970s, Spode, Royal Worcester and Palissy came under common ownership. In 2009, the firm was purchased by the Portmeirion Group. However, the Spode and Royal Worcester names continue to flourish as highly popular “traditional English heritage” brands within the Portmeirion company.

Find antique Josiah Spode dinner plates, serveware, ceramics and other pieces on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Josiah Spode
Georgian Spode Dinner Plate B Ironstone Chinoiserie Pattern No.2283, circa 1820
By Josiah Spode
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a very beautiful hand painted dinner plate, produced by the Spode factory in the late Georgian period, Circa 1820. This is pattern number 2283, the chinoiserie decoration ...
Category

Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Antique Josiah Spode Dinner Plates

Materials

Ironstone

Georgian Spode Dinner Plate A Ironstone Chinoiserie Pattern No.2283, circa 1820
By Josiah Spode
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a very beautiful hand painted dinner plate, produced by the Spode factory in the late Georgian period, Circa 1820. This is pattern number 2283, the chinoiserie decoration ...
Category

Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Antique Josiah Spode Dinner Plates

Materials

Ironstone

Georgian Spode Porcelain Spill Vase in Mazarine Flowers Ptn 3420, Ca 1810
By Josiah Spode
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a small spill vase, hand painted in enamelled & gilded floral sprigs against a Mazarine blue ground, made by Josiah Spode, Stoke on Trent, England and dating to circa 1810. The vase is well potted with a tapering shape and beaded mouldings The pattern is hand gilded and hand enamelled, with floral sprigs on a mazarine blue ground colour with gold gilded detail to the rims, producing a very decorative piece. This spill vase is fully marked to the base with an upper case SPODE hand...
Category

Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Josiah Spode Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

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This is a very decorative large bowl, produced by the Spode factory, circa 1820. The bowl is circular with an everted rim and on a raised pedastal foot. This is pattern number 3875, the chinoiserie decoration being transfer printed in cobalt blue under-glaze, then carefully and beautifully hand-painted in bold colored enamels with additional gilding over-glaze. The pattern shows a large Jardiniere beside a vase, both holding colourful flowers beside a tree, all in a garden setting with a distinctive floral border. The pattern is on the inside and outside of the bowl with hand gilded gold highlights. The pattern is in the Chinese taste as produced by many of the English potteries of the time, to compete directly with the large import of Canton or Chinese export porcelain from China. The bowl is fully marked to the base, with "Spodes New Stone...
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English Regency Porcelain Scarlet Japan Pattern Part Dessert Service, Spode
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Spode Stone China Plate with Chinoiserie Ship Pattern, Regency, 1812-1833
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This is a beautiful Spode plate made between 1812 and 1833, which was the Regency era. The plate is made of stone china and is decorated in the chinoiserie style with the very famous and now rare "Ship" pattern. I have a series of these chinoiserie plates available; please have a look in the Spode section of this shop. I am happy to offer them together with a discount. Blue on white decorations were done in East Asia for many centuries, and were made popular in the West by the Dutch Delftware potters in the 17th century. In circa 1800, the famous Spode factory in Staffordshire created a transfer printing process that could mass produce beautifully decorated blue and white wares, making this a very common and desired choice of tableware for the two centuries to come. Potters all-over Britain quickly started to make use of this new technology and copied the famous Spode patterns. Once the blue on white transfers had caught on, Spode started to print in color; mostly printing in one color (in this case: brown) and then filling in the other colors by hand. This way, they could offer wonderfully colorful dinner services at a much lower cost, as they needed only a skilled engraver for the plate that provided the outline of the image, and the transferring and coloring could be done by less skilled people. These were often women and apprenticed teenage children. The image on this plate is a very famous one, and one of the most desired, which is reflected in the price. It is of a mother and child with a European tall ship in the background, they look like they have waved good bye to the ship and are in conversation. Also in the background is a typical European trading post, this plate clearly celebrates the lively trade between East and West at the time. The pattern is a copy of an 18th century Chinese pattern and it could be depicting Dutch, Portuguese or British trade. It is of beautiful flowers against a backdrop of little waves, referring to the sea. This plate is made of stone china, which was Spode's recipe for very strong pottery with a high percentage of Cornish rock, which gives it the beautiful greyish hue. The plate carries the printed Spode stone China...
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Spode Stone China Plate, Pink Japan Pattern No. 3144, Regency 1812-1833
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Spode Creamware Plate, Brown Tumbledown Dick Patt. 3716, Regency ca 1824
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This is a beautiful Spode plate made around 1824. The plate is made of creamware and is decorated with the famous "Tumbledown Dick" pattern on a brown ...
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Set of 12 Spode Pearlware Plates, Blue and White "Tiber", Regency 1811-1833
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This is a spectacular set of 12 plates made by Spode between 1811 and 1833. The plates are made of pearlware and, apart from the usual crazing, in immaculate condition. They are deco...
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Late Georgian, SPODE Plate, Ironstone, Chinoiserie Patt'n No.3693, circa 1820
By Josiah Spode
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a beautiful dinner plate, produced by the Spode factory. This is pattern number 3693, the chinoiserie decoration being transfer printed in cobalt blue under-glaze, then ca...
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Antique English Geo. III Period Spode Porcelain Shell Shaped Dessert Dish
By Josiah Spode
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Fine antique English spode porcelain Hand-painted shell-shaped dessert or shrimp dish with fabulous rincent scrolls delicately hand-painted and superbly gilt decoration throughout. ...
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Early 19th Century English Antique Josiah Spode Dinner Plates

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Porcelain

Josiah Spode dinner plates for sale on 1stDibs.

Josiah Spode dinner plates are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of ceramic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Josiah Spode dinner plates, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original dinner plates by Josiah Spode were created in the neoclassical style in united kingdom during the 19th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider dinner plates by and Ashworth Ironstone. Prices for Josiah Spode dinner plates can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $287 and can go as high as $1,955, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $463.

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