What is Spode porcelain, and what is the brand known for?

Spode porcelain refers to fine ceramic wares made under the Spode name, a historic English brand rooted in Stoke-on-Trent. Spode is widely linked with blue-and-white tableware, transfer-printed earthenware, and later fine china lines. The name is closely tied to major technical advances in British ceramics, including early commercial success with underglaze blue printing and strong influence on the rise of bone china in England. Today, Spode is best recognized for patterns such as Blue Italian, plus seasonal and country-themed ranges used as every day dinnerware and for collecting. People buy Spode for classic British styling, repeat patterns, and the long paper trail of marks that helps with identification and dating.