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One of the first questions YOU should ask concerning Spode
IS THERE ANY CRAZING?
Crazing is a network of fine cracks on the surface of the clear glaze.
Crazing is caused by temperature change.
I think most people store their Christmas Tree Spode items in the attic or basement after the holidays.
Ask the seller to email you closer photos of the item.
Ask the seller to email you closer photos of the item.
Remember Spode Christmas Tree has the SANTA on Top
(not a star like image)
There are 3 TREE lithographic prints! tree pattern C1828
Just a little TRICK!
The LEFT Tree pattern, 2 BIRDs on the TREE upper right & middle left
and a TEDDY BEAR under the Bird on the right.
This LITHOGRAPHIC is the oldest of the three and found on more of the older pieces.
The RIGHT Tree pattern is also found on some of the Copeland/Spode pieces.
The MIDDLE Tree pattern is found on the 1990's pieces.
the Spode brand was always used alongside their name often styled Copeland late Spode.
The Copeland-Spode Back Stamp in BLUE it is prior 1970's and more RARE!
Prior to 1970 the SPODE BACK STAMP was printed in BLUE!
Limited Editions were also printed in BLUE! (1770 -1970)
After 1970 the SPODE BACK STAMPS were printed in BLACK
Look for the Spode logo!
(If your not sure it's AUTHENTIC ask the seller to send you a photo of the back stamp)
Notice ENGLAND printed under SPODE
(If England is not printed on the bottom it is made in China or Malaysia!)
The original GREEN band trim (not shown)
1960 to present S3324 England & 2005 China & Malaysia
GREEN narrow band S2133 (not shown)
1938 to 1960 England
Christmas Celebration Disney 30CTD Mickey Mouse 75th & Green Garland (not shown)
2003 China - Malaysia
Christmas Garland band ___Gold Bells & Green Holly with Sloe Berries (not shown)
1994 to 2002 England - China - Malaysia
Christmas Red Ribbon band ___Red Ribbons & Greens (not shown)
2007 China - Malaysia
The Christmas TREE is on all the ABOVE Patterns
(not printed on the ones listed below)
Christmas Rose Y8560 Victorian Style Gold and Dark Red flowers and Holy Leaves (not shown)
1990 England
Christmas Millennium ___ Sun, Holly, Teal Ribbon (not shown)
2000 England
Christmas Memories Red Wine band S3730 Toys, Wreaths (not shown)
An Exclusive for Kohls
2001 to 2002 England
Please View my other Spode GUIDES for Photos for:
Introduced 1970 - 1981 A series of Christmas plates Christmas Carols
If you would like to know what the STYLE NAME and STYLE NUMBER IS email me through ebay.
(not a star like image)
There are 3 TREE lithographic prints! tree pattern C1828
LEFT Pattern - 2 Birds, Dolls arms out, Teddy Bear pattern for larger pieces
MIDDLE Pattern - NO Birds, Dolls arms down, Teddy Bear pattern for smaller pieces
RIGHT Pattern - NO Birds, Dolls arms out, NO Teddy Bear pattern for smaller pieces
MIDDLE Pattern - NO Birds, Dolls arms down, Teddy Bear pattern for smaller pieces
RIGHT Pattern - NO Birds, Dolls arms out, NO Teddy Bear pattern for smaller pieces
Just a little TRICK!
The LEFT Tree pattern, 2 BIRDs on the TREE upper right & middle left
and a TEDDY BEAR under the Bird on the right.
This LITHOGRAPHIC is the oldest of the three and found on more of the older pieces.
The RIGHT Tree pattern is also found on some of the Copeland/Spode pieces.
The MIDDLE Tree pattern is found on the 1990's pieces.
1963 - 1976: datemarks after 1963 until 1976 are indicated by a printed
letter associated with particular backstamps and are a little
complicated. There are several series of letters and a different letter
is used to indicate the year depending on whether the body is bone
china, fine stone or earthenware.
1976 - present day: by 1976 the date letters were the same for bone china, fine stone and earthenware starting at
These take the form of a letter over two numbers,
for example J over 33, which would give you a date of January 1933.
January J - February F - March M - April A - May Y - June U - July L - August T
September S- October O - November N - December D
1976 - 1989 A - N -- No letter O was used -- 1990 - 1997 P - W -- No letter X was used -- 1998 - 1999 Y - Z
In 2000 a new series of letters was begun. The year 2000 has the mark A0, 2001 A1 etc.
the Spode brand was always used alongside their name often styled Copeland late Spode.
The Copeland-Spode Back Stamp in BLUE it is prior 1970's and more RARE!
Prior to 1970 the SPODE BACK STAMP was printed in BLUE!Limited Editions were also printed in BLUE! (1770 -1970)
After 1970 the SPODE BACK STAMPS were printed in BLACK
BLUE back stamp BLACK back stamp
Look for the Spode logo!
(If your not sure it's AUTHENTIC ask the seller to send you a photo of the back stamp)
Notice ENGLAND printed under SPODE
(If England is not printed on the bottom it is made in China or Malaysia!)
The Christmas Tree ENGLAND pattern S3324
pattern SPCH SP=Spode CH=China
pattern SPCH SP=Spode CH=China
pattern ????????=Malaysia
1938 Magenta band S2134 1952 Crimson band S2688 1996 to 2002 Red band S3730 (Copeland) England England England
VERY RARE! 1959 Pink band S3325
$100.00 each England RARE!
$100.00 each England RARE!
1996 to 2002 Red band Each year a new piece was released! Last produced in 2002!
1996 Tree Shape Dish 7.50"
1997 Round Fluted Dish 5.00"
1998 Mint Tray 9" x 3"
1999 Nut Bowl 5.50"
2000 Square Tray 6"x 6"
2001 Sandwich Tray 12" x 7"
2002 Star-shaped Dish 6"
2002 Devonia Dish 7.50" x 7.50" Managing Director's Special Production
1997 Round Fluted Dish 5.00"
1998 Mint Tray 9" x 3"
1999 Nut Bowl 5.50"
2000 Square Tray 6"x 6"
2001 Sandwich Tray 12" x 7"
2002 Star-shaped Dish 6"
2002 Devonia Dish 7.50" x 7.50" Managing Director's Special Production
2003 65th Anniversary ___ 2005 Grove band 30CTG
Ribbons & Bows British Flowers
England China
Ribbons & Bows British Flowers
England China
The original GREEN band trim (not shown)
1960 to present S3324 England & 2005 China & Malaysia
GREEN narrow band S2133 (not shown)
1938 to 1960 England
Christmas Celebration Disney 30CTD Mickey Mouse 75th & Green Garland (not shown)
2003 China - Malaysia
Christmas Garland band ___Gold Bells & Green Holly with Sloe Berries (not shown)
1994 to 2002 England - China - Malaysia
Christmas Red Ribbon band ___Red Ribbons & Greens (not shown)
2007 China - Malaysia
The Christmas TREE is on all the ABOVE Patterns
(not printed on the ones listed below)
Christmas Rose Y8560 Victorian Style Gold and Dark Red flowers and Holy Leaves (not shown)
1990 England
Christmas Millennium ___ Sun, Holly, Teal Ribbon (not shown)
2000 England
Christmas Memories Red Wine band S3730 Toys, Wreaths (not shown)
An Exclusive for Kohls
2001 to 2002 England
Please View my other Spode GUIDES for Photos for:
Introduced 1970 - 1981 A series of Christmas plates Christmas Carols
Introduced 1982 - 1987 A series of Christmas plates Christmas Pastimes
I will be glad to help and send you photos.
If this GUIDE helped you and you enjoyed my photos,
PLEASE place a YES Vote for me!
Christmas Tree
Sydney Thompson, sole agent for Spode in the United States of America (Copeland & Thompson Inc, 205 Fifth Avenue, New York), made a practice of spending 6 - 8 weeks in Stoke-on-Trent at Spode to develop new patterns for his market. This was during the 1930s when the Art Director of Spode was Thomas Hassall and he and Sydney Thompson would review the Spode pattern books in their search for antique designs which could be revitalized and introduced on current shapes.
In May 1938, Mr. Thompson sought a design for the Christmas season and despite the many holly designs found in the pattern books none seemed appropriate. So Mr. Hassall asked Harold Holdway, one of the Spode designers who was later to become Design Director, to produce a design. Soon he returned with a plate which had a central design of a Christmas tree with presents hanging from the branches.
When Harold Holdway was first asked to draw a Christmas Tree he had to be rather inventive, as he had never seen one! In his first sketch all the presents were suspended from the tree. He amended it when Mr. Thompson, who liked the design, explained that in the USA presents were heaped on the floor around the bottom of the tree with only shiny decorations on the tree itself. Harold also had no idea what they put at the top of the tree, which is why the Spode Christmas Tree has a Santa instead of a fairy!
After the revision of the design a ten inch plate was produced, with the wording 'Wishing You a Merry Christmas 1938' printed on the back of the plate. The salesmen were swamped with orders. The inscription was discontinued after 1938 but over the following years the Christmas Tree pattern developed into whole table services and extra serving pieces.
Originally produced on Kailas shape with the inscription 'Wishing You a Merry Christmas 1938’, the pattern was outline printed and handcoloured. Pattern number S2133 has a green band and pattern S2134 a crimson band, both decorated onglaze. Details of some of the variations of the patterns with their dates and pattern numbers are on the last page.
In the late 20th century/early 21st century Christmas Tree is produced on Regimental Oak shape with a narrow green band and has the pattern number S3324. It is decorated by slide off lithography and the band is applied underglaze. The version with the crimson band is no longer available but from the late 1950s was produced in the same way as S3324 with pattern number S3325. The patterns changed from transfer printing and handpainting to slide-off lithography in about 1962.
Several versions have been produced over the years with different colours and widths of bands. During the 1990s the same pattern number, S3324, was used on several different versions with different borders and mottoes. Also in the 1990s annual plates began to be produced which have the Christmas Tree centre, the year and an appropriate border which is different each year. Also new shapes are introduced each year with recent ones including star-shaped hors d'oeuvre dishes, star vase, candlesticks, pierced candleholders, and miniatures.
Plummers of New York who stocked the original Copeland/Spode Christmas Tree also had it reproduced very closely and applied to less expensive ware by Barker Bros. of Longton, Staffordshire. Plummers sold both versions. The success of the pattern has inspired many other companies to produce similar designs over the years. The Spode Christmas Tree is the original.
In the last quarter of 1999 Spode's Christmas Tree was recorded as the largest selling casual dinnerware pattern in the USA.
Spode Factory 'Family' Tree
Spode manufactory begins in Stoke with Josiah Spode I c1770I
London business Josiah Spode II c1778 - and later in 1822 with William Copeland known as Spode and Copeland. The Factory continues at Stoke
I
The name Spode continues under the ownership as follows:
Copeland and Garrett 1833 - 1847
I
W. T. Copeland 1847 - 1867
I
W. T. Copeland and Sons 1867 - 1932
I
Wt. Copeland and Sons Ltd 1932 - 1970
I
Spode 1970 onwards
If this GUIDE helped you and you enjoyed my photos,
PLEASE place a YES Vote for me!
Guide created: 09/07/07 (updated 08/31/08)
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