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Two 19th Century Greek Pattern Plates

Name: Two 19th Century Greek Pattern Plates
Brand: Copeland Spode
Rating: 4.9 (8 reviews)

$300List Priceper item

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Copeland Spode

Steeped in British history and tradition, the name Copeland Spode is renowned among porcelain collectors for its fine-quality bone china and earthenware pieces. With its roots in Spode — one of the oldest and most distinguished of the great pottery companies of Staffordshire, the time-honored home of English ceramics — Copeland Spode is known to pottery enthusiasts for some of the most timeless and recognizable patterns produced in 19th and early 20th-century porcelain manufacturing such as Wicker Lane, Chinese Rose and Tower. Collectors regard Copeland-marked pieces as Spode china.

The story of Copeland Spode china began in 1770 when English potter Josiah Spode founded a pottery and homewares company called Spode in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Within fifteen years, the manufacturer became known for its signature blue-on-white palette, and one of the company’s designers developed a specific cobalt hue for their teapots, trays, bowls and more. Spode’s founder was 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.

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.

In addition to their exceptional quality and design, the company’s ceramics were particularly prized for their intricate patterns which featured a variety of colors. For instance, its popular Tower pattern was available in a pale ultramarine blue, a darker Royal Saxon blue, rose pink, brown and green.

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 Copeland Spode serveware, decorative objects and more collectibles on 1stDibs.

Antique Late 19th Century British Neoclassical Revival Pottery

Materials

Earthenware, Pearlware

19th Century Copeland Spode Greek Tazza

$2,000

H 4.25 in Dm 11.25 in

19th Century Greek Revival Copeland Spode Bowl

By Copeland Spode

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

A vibrant Neoclassical Revival decorative bowl in the 'Greek' pattern made by Copeland Spode in the late 19th century. Sir William Hamilton’s Collection of Etruscan, Greek and Roman antiquities, first published in 1766 by Pierre d’Hancarville, was a landmark publication in English design. It intended to disseminate the Antique style through its engravings of Attic pottery. The catalog’s faithful reproductions of Classical vases led British potteries, including Spode, to adapt or even copy the ancient art for modern life. This Copeland Spode Greek...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century British Neoclassical Revival Pottery

Materials

Earthenware, Pearlware

19th Century Greek Revival Copeland Spode Bowl

$2,600

H 3.5 in Dm 8.5 in

Early 19th Century Spode Red Greek Pattern Tile

By Josiah Spode, Spode

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

A Neoclassical red transferware tile made by Spode 1806-1810, with the ‘Zeus in His Chariot’ pattern. Sir William Hamilton’s Collection of Etruscan, Greek and Roman antiquities, first published in 1766 by Pierre d’Hancarville, was a landmark publication in English design. It intended to disseminate the Antique style through its engravings of Attic pottery. The catalog’s faithful reproductions of Classical vases led British potteries, including Spode, to adapt or even copy the ancient art for modern life. These Spode Greek pattern tiles reflect the major influence of Hamilton’s catalog on English Neoclassicism. The central scene was taken directly from the catalog. This tile can be dated to a narrow window of production in the Spode factory, 1806-1810. During that time, Spode used a technique known as the “Pluck and Dust” method to print in red transfer designs onto creamware. Using this method, source prints were transferred overglaze using tissue imprinted with a very faint rendition of the design outlined in sticky oil. The decorator applied the tissue to the object then carefully “plucked” or pulled it away, leaving the sticky oil design behind. Then, a finely-ground enamel color was “dusted” onto the surface, sticking to any areas that had the oil. A final firing at a low temperature in the enamel kiln made the pattern permanent. The Pluck and Dust technique improved upon bat-printing and enabled larger designers to be transferred. It was short-lived, however, as under-glaze transfer printing soon took over as the preferred method for producing transferwares. Dimensions: 5 in. x 5 in. x 1/4 in. Condition: Excellent. Provenance: The Collection of Nancy and Andrew Ramage Jonathan Horne...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Neoclassical Pottery

Materials

Earthenware, Creamware

Early 19th Century Spode Red Greek Pattern Tile

$1,500

H 5 in W 5 in D 0.25 in

19th Century Spongeware Dinner Plate

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This early 19th century spongeware pottery plate is in great condition and has wonderful colors. Great addition to a collection of spongeware....

Category

Antique 19th Century American Pottery

19th Century Spongeware Dinner Plate

$695

H 1 in W 9 in D 9 in

Late 19th Century Spongeware Plate

Located in New York, NY

Hand-picked by buyers at Ann-Morris Inc.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Late 19th Century Spongeware Plate

$1,000

H 2 in Dm 11.75 in

Copeland Neo-Classical Greek Pattern Blue Circular Tureen and Cover

By Copeland Spode

Located in Downingtown, PA

Copeland-Late Spode Neo-classical greek pattern blue circular tureen and cover, 1902 The Spode pottery covered footed tureen of circular form with th...

Category

Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Revival Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Copeland Neo-Classical Greek Pattern Blue Circular Tureen and Cover

$1,600

H 9.5 in W 9.5 in D 7.25 in

Pair of Early 19th c Wedgwood Pearlware Prunus Pattern 8" Plates

By Wedgwood

Located in valatie, NY

Pair of Early 19th c Wedgwood Pearlware Prunus Pattern 8" Plates. With impressed 'WEDGWOOD' mark on the base and the number '10'. This is a hard to find pattern. Trent Antiques has ...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Pottery

Materials

Pottery

Pair of Early 19th c Wedgwood Pearlware Prunus Pattern 8" Plates

$495

H 0.75 in Dm 8 in

Pair 19th Century Greek Attic Style Terracotta Volure-Kraters

Located in Houston, TX

A pair of large two handled 19th Century Attic style volute kraters.

Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Greek Revival Pottery

Materials

Terracotta

Pair 19th Century Greek Attic Style Terracotta Volure-Kraters

$11,950

H 23.5 in W 14 in D 12.5 in

Antique 19th Century French Majolica Floral Plate

Located in Pearland, TX

A lovely antique French majolica floral plate, circa 1890. This beautiful French country style plate has hand painted pink flowers and leaves on a ligh...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Dinner Plates

Materials

Majolica

Antique 19th Century French Majolica Floral Plate

$395

H 1 in Dm 8.5 in

Spode Neo-Classical Greek Pattern Blue Openwork Dessert Plates

By Spode

Located in Downingtown, PA

Spode neo-classical Greek pattern blue openwork dessert plates, Ceres with a Priestess, Four plates (4) Early 19th century From a large collection of Greek pattern Spode- more pi...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Neoclassical Pottery

Materials

Pearlware, Pottery

Spode Neo-Classical Greek Pattern Blue Openwork Dessert Plates

$2,000 / set

H 0.75 in Dm 7.5 in

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Two 19th Century Greek Pattern Plates

About the Item

Copeland Spode

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