San Francisco Ceramic Circle
September 26th, 2001 Meeting
"The Four Josiahs"
an illustrated slide lecture by
Robert Copeland
Historical Consultant to Spode, Great Britain
The September meeting of the San Francisco Ceramic Circle
will be held on Wednesday, 26th September in the Florence
Gould Theater at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln
Park, San Francisco. Entrance is from the West terrace entrance
from 7.30pm.
About the Lecture: This talk presents a comparative review
of the parallel courses chosen by England two great pottery making
families, the Wedgwoods and the Spodes, in the formative stages
of their enterprises in Staffordshire in the years between 1730
and 1843
About the Speaker: Robert Copeland is a great great grandson
of William Copeland who became Josiah Spode's business partner
circa 1790. Mr. Copeland trained as a potter following family
tradition and has held many positions in the company management.
An avid collector, he inherited and expanded his father's
collection of Spode blue transfer wares. He has spent more than
30 years researching the collection and the origins of the patterns
which resulted in his book "Spode's Willow Pattern and other
designs after the Chinese". He is also the author of "Spode
and Copeland Marks".
He is a founder of the Gladstone Pottery Museum and Cheddleton
Flint Mill Trust, both of which are important industrial Museums
with connections to the potteries. He lectures extensively on
more than 30 topics related to British ceramics. He has held the
position of historical consultant to Spode since 1979.
Mini- exhibit: Members are encouraged to bring examples of
Wedgwood and Spode produced during the proprietorships of the
Josiahs for display and discussion.
Next meeting: Thursday, October 18th, 2001. A lecture "The
latest from Liverpool: how recent excavations have cause a complete
re-appraisal of early Liverpool porcelain" by Maurice Hillis,
Chairman, The Nothern Ceramic Society, Great Britain.