Let's Talk About Pottery & Collectables
Pottery => British & Irish => Topic started by: bridon on January 13, 2009, 05:26:09 PM
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Hi,
We have recently bought this white pudding basin and on the base is a 'Copeland Spode' mark. However, after trawling through many sites (including Spodes...) we cannot identify this particular one.
It seems to be fairly old but can anyone i.d. it at all....approx date etc?
The basin holds 1 3/4 pints (1 ltr) stands 3 3/4" (95mm) tall with a 6 1/2" (165mm) dia rim.
The rim design seems a little different to other basins I have seen so I enclose 2 photos to show both the rim and the makers mark on the base.
Any help gratefully received.
Many thanks Bridon (Dorset UK)
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Hi Bridon, and welcome to the board. I've looked through my references as well and can't find your backstamp, although there are over 300 recorded in the Spode Museum apparently, so maybe not so surprising we can't find it. This may be worth a look at:
http://www.spode.co.uk/History/history_main_new.html
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Thanks for that Anne.....seems an odd one that backstamp.... ???
Swotted through the local library, also been on the Spode link before I posted the original request on here with no luck so I have sent them an email 2 days ago with all the details and a picture or two.....just awaiting their reply....... :comp:
As soon as I hear I will post the findings on here......unless anyone else on here can help of course. :kissy:
Regards.
Bridon (Dorset UK)
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Anne :hby: got those ears working, and those magic fingers :comp:
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So far no reply from my email to Spode on the 13th :boohoo:.....not looking too promising that they will reply... ???
Never mind, someone may still i.d. the mark on this forum....
Ever hopeful.
Regards
Bridon (Dorset UK)
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Well my email sent to Spode was never answered and a further one was sent with a read receipt....got an automated reply a couple of days later informing me that the email was deleted without being read..... :bh:
I do hope somebody will pop along and recognise it....so strange that all my searching in books and the internet has not turned up anything at all.....must be extremely rare then... :beer:
Regards
Bridon
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Copeland operated from 1847 to 1970. when they were bought by Spode and were known as Spode Ltd. After this they produced pieces using old Copeland molds and marketed them as 'Copeland Spode', with a variety of backstamps.
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Many thanks for that 'Chimp Mad'....at least that throws some light on this for me....sounds like post 1970 then.........Oh well, I suppose I can cancel the party now.. :boohoo:
regards
Bridon
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And from the Spode website another snippet:
The firm remained in the Copeland family until 1966. The Spode brand name was used alongside the Copeland name throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, often styled 'Copeland late Spode'. In 1970 to commemorate the founder the name was changed to Spode
What I'm finding unusual about it, is that it is so plain. We tend to see a lot of decorated Spode/Copeland, but I've not seen such a plain utilitarian piece from them before. Interesting!
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Well after reading your post Anne I think I may have mis-interpreted the previous poster in that Copeland-Spode evolved after 1970.
The link to Spode that you have supplied seems to read that the joint name was used in the 19th and 20th century.....so with that in mind, my pudding basin may well be a tad older than post 1970...all a bit of a mystery... ???
Anyway, I have sent piccys off to Spode Museum again today and hopefully this time they might get back to me.
Regards
Bridon
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I sure hope they do send a response. So nice when these places help out a bit. ;)
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So sorry if I mis-led you, the reference book I used only referred to joint names post-1970, but the other, more informed board members are right, they did a lot of collaboration right back to the 19thC. Having looked a lot closer at your pics, which I should have done in the first place :thd: , I can see that they are indeed much earlier than the '70s, and the plain look of the piece and unusual backstamp give a few clues as to the possible age. The elephant was often used as a symbol of the strength of the British Empire, and it remained in use during at least the 1st quarter of the 20thC. The very simple, almost austere style would suggest that this piece was made during a period when we had a need for utilitarian ceramics but overtly decorated pieces would seem garish or distasteful, and this, along with the clear message of 'Strength and Reliability', could very easily point towards a time when we were at war, possibly 1914-18.
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Well that is much more encouraging ChimpMad....thanks for that. I can see what you mean by the austerity of the design and the Elephant logo for strength in hard times makes absolute sense to me now.
Well done on your research and thank you for the time you have put into this.....I guess that the piece will be taken out of everyday use now... :notme:
Thanks again
Bridon
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I tried researching the elephant as a trade mark but got nowhere. Exactly what does the slogan say. I can read "and reliability"
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Hi Lustrousstone,
The slogan reads 'Strength and Reliability'
Regards
Bridon
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Above the 'OPE' part of the backstamp there is an impressed mark which looks like a number, which could help as they used impressed date codes,usually with a letter above the number. Has the backstamp covered an impressed letter by any chance?
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Using my trusty eyeglass....I can see that the number is 30 with no other letter but the word Copeland appears to be impressed as well just under the blue printed words
Regards
Bridon
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Well...after emailing Spode themselves for the 2nd time on 26th February I was pleased to see a reply this morning over 3 weeks later.......However when I read the email I was to be disappointed once more... :crying1:
It reads:
Your message
To: ghay@royal-worcester.co.uk
was deleted without being read on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:10:28 -0000
So much for that line of enquiry then..... ???
Bridon
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How disappointing Bridon. I feel it is so rude when people delete like that. Even an auto-responder saying sorry we can't help is better.
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Bridon, a lot of automated systems will delete e-mails from unknown senders if they have attachments. It may be worth simply sending a covering e-mail without attachments to start with and see if that gets a better response, though you might want to put on a protective helmet just in case you're still :hb:
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That's a good idea...I will do that on Monday....just an email to get a response (hopefully) then the attatchments can follow when requested.
Will let you all know what happens.........watch this space. :comp:
regards
Bridon
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Best of luck with that Bridon :x-fingers:
I suppose if all else fails, you could always revert back to good old-fashioned pen and paper if you have the address?