Spode's Willow Pattern and Other Designs After the Chinese

The blue willow pattern is probably the best-known of all designs on pottery and porcelain. It has given rise to a number of odd ideas about its origins. The author of this book has drawn on previously unpublished sources, particularly from the archives of the Spode Company, to give a detailed account of the introduction of the pattern by Josiah Spode. The willow pattern was, however, only one of the many chinoiserie designs produced in Staffordshire and elsewhere at the turn of the century. This book analyzes and discusses willow pattern and its immediate precursors, such as Mandarin and Rock. Many examples of these and other designs are illustrated here for the first time. This guide should be a useful reference for specialist collectors, museums, dealers and potters.