San Francisco Ceramic Circle
November 12th Meeting
"Spode-Copeland 1733-1983"
Robert Copeland, Historical Consultant to Spode
In November we have two meetings of the San Francisco Ceramic
Circle. The first will be held on Thursday, 12th november beginning
at 7.30pm in the Florence Gould Theater at the Palace of the Legion
of Honor in Lincoln Park, San Francisco. Entrance is from the
West terrace. The lecture will start at 8.00pm.
Our speaker will be Robert Copeland, Historical Consultant
to Spode Ltd. England. His talk is entitled "Spode-Copeland
1733-1983" and will cover the 250 year history of Spode-Copeland
ceramics starting from the birth of Josiah Spode.
The mini-exhibit will be of Spode-Copeland pottery and porcelain
. Set up is at 7.30pm
About the lecture:
Josiah Spode was born in 1733 and after an inauspicious start
to life with poverty resulting from the death of his father 6
years later went on to establish one of the most important and
enduring ceramic businesses in England and is generally credited
with the large scale introduction of the standard English bone
china body. Mr. Copeland's talk presents a comprehensive study
of the firms productions from those of Josiah Spode through modern
times.
About our speaker:
Robert Copeland is a Great, Great Grandson of William Copeland
who was Josiah Spode II's business partner. Mr. Copeland followed
in the family tradition and joined the firm of W.T Copeland Ltd.
in 1943. He became interested in the historical aspects of the
trade as a result of three years spent in the Spode works press
moulding platters, hand making bone china plates and practicing
the potters craft. He has worked in many departments in the Spode
factory in Stoke on Trent and was marketing director from 1956-1969.
He was appointed Historical Consultant to Spode in 1979.
Mr. Copeland expanded the collection of blue printed Spode
he inherited from his father and has conducted extensive research
over more than 30 years into the origins of the patterns. This
culminated in the publication of his book "Spode's Willow
Pattern and other designs after the Chinese".
He is a founder trustee of the Gladstone Pottery Museum and
the Leader of the Cheddleton Flint Mill Industrial Heritage Trust.
Both are important industrial Museums with relevance to the history
of the potteries in England.
Future S.F.C.C. programs:
11/19/98 Carolyn Sargentson "Sèvres China Furniture:
a 19th century English taste for furniture decorated with porcelain
plaques"
1/22-23/99 "On Table, Sideboard and Mantel: decorative
figures and tablewares 1730 - 1830" San Francisco Ceramic
Circle's biennial seminar. A program of six lectures with speakers
Anthony du Boulay, Patricia Halfpenny and William Sargent.
2/18/99 John Whitehead "Painted decoration on Sèvres
Porcelain"