Spode (Shire Library)

The two Josiah Spodes, father and son, may be justly regarded as the second most important names in the development of English ceramics. Under their direction, two of the most important products in the English ceramic repertoire were perfected: underglaze transfer printing on earthenware; and fine bone china, a very practical porcelain. The first set the stage for the enormous burgeoning of the transfer-printed trade which became known as 'Staffordshire Blue', including the Willow Patter and Blue Italian. The second, the bone china formula, proved to be so successful that it superseded earlier artificial porcelains and became one of the most sought-after 'traditional' English productions.