Billingsley Rose pattern was the most popular design on Jewel shape.
The original shape design was devised for a dessert service possibly made for Queen Victoria, to the design of W H Goss, the Art Director at Copeland's at the time. In the original service, each of the embossed rings on the border was fitted with a mirror-backed glass gem simulating rubies, emeralds and topaz.
The shape was expanded into a range of tableware and registered at the London Patent Office as No. 70392 in 1924. It was patented in the United States on 15 June 1926. The tableware range was determined by the needs of the North American market. Jewel Imperial undecorated ivory earthenware proved very popular.
Billingsley Rose takes its name from William Billingsley, the famous flower painter, who worked for the Derby and Worcester factories, amongst others, at the turn of the 19th century. Although Billingsley never worked for Spode, the roses are decorated in his style. The pattern was originally printed and hand coloured but from 1972 it was produced with slide-off lithography.
Another version in yellow followed the same design and was named Yellow Rose and was introduced in 1932 as pattern 2/9673.
|
