Spode’s Christmas Tree China was designed by Harold Hodway in 1938. The request came from an American merchant who wanted a Christmas pattern for the holidays. Hodway, an Englishman responded by producing a Christmas Tree design on earthenware.
Hodway had to use his imagination for drawing the Christmas Tree pattern. At the time, he had never seen a real Christmas Tree! In his first sketch, Harold hanged the presents from the Christmas Tree branches. He revised the sketch when he learned the tradition was to put the presents around the base of the tree. Harold also did not know what was put on top of the Christmas Tree. To this day the Spode Christmas Tree has a Santa instead of an angel.
The success of Hodway’s Christmas Tree design was instant. Many other companies have copied the design over the years, but the Spode Christmas Tree is the original. |
