Spode Trapnell Sprays & Golden Valley
Spode's Trapnell Sprays pattern was introduced in about 1900/1901. This was produced on bone china. Later in 1901 the pattern was selected by the London company Thomas Goode & Co. as one of the designs to be exclusive to them in Britain.
Trapnell Sprays is influenced by French porcelain design and originally had handpainted sprays of fruit and flowers with butterflies. Raised turquoise enamel was carefully applied by hand and the subtle gold spot lines were printed from engraved copper plates. In 1946 production became easier with the use of a different turquoise colour, which did not need so many applications and firings. It continued to be decorated on the Hamburg shape and remained exclusive to Goode's.
In 1983 the pattern was changed omitting the central floral spray with its frame and the butterflies. It was produced on the fluted Chelsea shape. It was renamed Trapnell Sprays at this time. It was no longer exclusive to Thomas Goode & Co and remains in production today.
However at the same time a range of boxed giftware items was also produced variously called Trapnell and Trapnell Sprays and this did include the butterflies of the original design.
It is believed to have been named in honour of a Bristol man, Alfred Trapnell, who built up a very important collection of Plymouth and Bristol porcelain.
We are grateful to the Spode Museum in producing this account of Spode's Trapnell Sprays pattern.
Spode's Golden Valley is a popular pattern using the fruit centre designs of early Spode, about 1803, and a fruit and flower border from about 1810. Golden Valley has been produced on two different pattern shapes.
The Rose Embossed Shape was introduced in 1948. This shape dates from an earlier period but was reintroduced in 1948 as a 'short line'. Several items only were produced in the range - 4 different sized plates; soup plates; cream soup bowls and stands; teacups and saucers and after dinner coffee cups and saucers.
Rose Embossed shape was withdrawn in 1958 but the Golden Valley pattern remained in the range and was transferred to Stafford shape. The pattern is available today and was originally handpainted on a very finely engraved print. The pattern is now produced using high quality lithographing techniques.
We are grateful to the Spode Museum in producing this account of Spode's Golden Valley pattern.
