May, 19 2 3 
73 
Spode vase with gold 
ground and vividly 
painted flower design 
An unusual Spode vase 
apparently made in imita¬ 
tion of Wedgwood 
A modern Copeland dessert service 
with vivid birds, foliage and flowers, 
a copy of a design much used by Spode 
Companion vase to the 
Wedgwood imitation 
shown on left of page 
of old Spode. On these and the early pro¬ 
ductions from the factory, the name Spode 
is found impressed in the paste. 
His blue-print is more accessible; its 
popularity was such that by 1790 it was 
used on the cream color to the exclusion, 
practically, of all other decorations. The 
works turned out huge quantities and the 
fame of Spode is closely associated with its 
manufacture. 
Yet Josiah Spode did not introduce blue 
under-glazing printing into the 
Potteries; it was known and prac¬ 
tised long before he was estab¬ 
lished at Stoke-on-Trent, first at 
Caughley in Shropshire. But he 
saw latent possibilities and con¬ 
centrated on its development. 
A good engraver and printer 
were the first essentials: Spode got 
both from Caughley, experienced 
men who knew how to set about 
the work. First the copper-plate 
had to be engraved in lines that 
were deep and strong enough to 
carry a full body of color; from this the 
paper-print was taken and transferred 
straight to the biscuit, and the glaze was 
then melted over it. This brought about a 
rich softness and a depth of blue that was 
considered enormously superior to the re¬ 
sults of the old laborious plan of enameling 
the color over the glaze by hand. It was 
cheaper, and so much simpler that, with a 
skilful draughtsman and engraver, there 
was practically no design that could not be 
transferred to the plates and crock¬ 
ery. Spode very soon abandoned the 
plain outline engraving of his first 
phase and by stippling and punch¬ 
ing, introduced qualities of light 
shade hitherto unattempted; and 
finally brought the process to such 
a pitch of mechanical perfection 
that the most elaborate “pictures”' 
were transferred with comparative¬ 
ly little trouble and cost. The old 
enamelers were furious; such fa¬ 
cility was taking the bread out of 
(Continued on page 114) 
Spode plate with white ground 
and heavily gilded border and 
central decoration of violet 
Cup and saucer and basin of 
old Spode with a narrow 
border in pink and gold 
(Below) Matching pieces of 
Spode with gold and flowers 
on a deep blue ground 
White ground, gold 
edges and flowers are 
on this Spode vase 
