Copeland proved its prowess in molded wares with its mid-nineteenth century parian productions. This 1870's teapot demonstrates that the potters had not lost their touch as they adapted to the Japanese influenced designs popular during the Aesthetic Movement.

While fluttering birds provide the focus of the relief decoration, the pot's design is dominated by bamboo, from the branches that suggest a sheltering grove for the birds, to additional stalks on the spout and handle ends, to the form of the handle itself. Even more ingenious, the shape of the body is a cross section of a bamboo stalk; the characteristic dimple forms the pot's "legs." The natural movement of the birds further reveals an awareness of Japanese paintings and prints.

In this example, the Copelands choose a practical britannia metal (a pewter-like alloy) fitting for the lid. 

As with transferware, the infusion of foreign (predominantly Japanese) design elements promoted by Aesthetic movement theorists gave a shot in the arm to the stoneware industry--and more important the impetus to develop original new designs. One can imagine the smart young homemaker looking with despair at that inherited gothic revival teapot and longing to replace it with one redolent of the exotic East.

A personal note -- our first exposure to this pot shape was in Kathy Hughes pioneering work, A Collector's Guide to Nineteenth Century Jugs, (published 1985, p. 120).  We were fortunate enough to purchase a pot identical to the current selection from Kathy in the mid 80's. Today it welcomes us each morning from its perch on our breakfast room plate rail.