Spode 'Tradewinds' Leaf Dish
1960s
Sold 1/20/2022
Leaf-shaped English stoneware dish decorated with Spode’s Trade Winds pattern in iron red with gold edging and detailing.
The very elegant Trade Winds pattern was designed for the American market. It was introduced by Spode in about 1959/60 and came from an idea by George Thompson, President of Copeland & Thompson in New York. Copeland & Thompson were the main agents for Spode in the USA and vital to the success of Spode in the UK. The pattern is a nod to the tradition of ship owners to commission dinnerware decorated with images of their fleet.
The pattern was produced on Spode's Fine Stone body. This body was first developed by Josiah Spode II as Stone China in about 1812. Spode renamed Stone China to New Stone when the formula was changed in 1820; the name lasted 140 years only changing to Fine Stone in 1960 when another new formula was developed to combat some production faults.
This piece depicts the White Diamond Liner “Anglo American”. The ship was a 704 ton vessel, launched January 3rd, 1848. Richard McKay summarizes the ship in book Donald McKay and His Famous Sailing Ships as follows; “The Anglo-American was strongly built in the best manner and beautifully modelled. The arrangements of her deck resembled the Washington Irving, viz.: she had a full poop, a topgallant forecastle, a large house amidships before the main hatchway, and a deep waist. Her length of keel was 145 feet, on deck she was 150 feet and over all 156; breadth of beam 33 feet, depth of hold 20 feet. The bow was very sharp and most beautifully formed. It had less fare than the bow of any other Train packet and consequently the sweep of her model at the rail was more easy in its curvature and fairly clipperlike in its termination. Her lines were truly rounded, notwithstanding the sharpness of her ends, and her sides smooth and regular as those of a pilot boat. She was built of the best seasoned white oak, hackmatack and yellow pine, then which there was no better shipbuilding material obtain.”
7” x 5” x 1”. In excellent vintage condition, with no chips, cracks, crazing or other signs of wear. Marked on bottom “H135” “SPODE” “ENGLAND FINE STONE W128” “TRADE WINDS” “FROM A DESIGN C. 1805” “White Diamond Liner” “Anglo American”
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