Spode Christmas Tree

Sydney Thomspon, sole agent for Spode in the United States of America (Copeland & Thomspon 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 Thomspon would review the Spode pattern books in their search for antique designs which could be revitalised and introduced on current shapes.

In May 1938, Mr. Thomspon 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. Thomspon, 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 Spode's 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. Some Christmas Tree variations had a green band and others a crimson band, both decorated onglaze. In the late 20th century/early 21st century Christmas Tree is produced on Regimental Oak shape with a narrow green band. It is decorated by slide off lithography and the band is applied underglaze. The version with the crimson band is no longer available.

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 there were 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'ouevre 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

We are grateful to the Spode Museum in producing this account of the Spode Christmas Tree pattern.