Spode | Fine Bone China Thimble | Garden Flowers | Gilt Rim | England | Late 20th Century

Spode | Fine Bone China Thimble | Garden Flowers | Gilt Rim | England | Late 20th Century

A gathering of pink and blue garden flowers, encircled by a narrow band of gold.

Spode was founded in Stoke-on-Trent in the 1770s by Josiah Spode, whose firm became closely associated with the development of English bone china. In the later twentieth century, Spode made small bone china thimbles for collectors, decorated with flowers and other traditional subjects.

The thimble is white fine bone china, with a printed arrangement of garden flowers around its sides. There is a large pink peony-like bloom with a warm peach centre, a smaller pink flower on a slender, twisting stem, and a blue daisy-like flower with a yellow-orange centre, among green leaves and curling stems. A narrow gilt band runs around the lower rim, and the crown is lightly textured. Inside are the red Spode script mark with "Fine Bone China" and "ENGLAND", and a printed "13" on the opposite side.

The thimble is in excellent condition, with no chips or cracks, and the printed colours and gilt band are bright.

Key Details

• Maker: Spode, England
• Form: collector's thimble
• Material: fine bone china
• Decoration: printed garden flowers; gilt band; lightly textured crown
• Marks: red Spode script mark, "Fine Bone China", "ENGLAND"; printed "13"
• Date: late 20th century
• Dimensions: height 2 cm
• Weight: 5 g
• Condition: excellent; no chips or cracks; colours and gilding bright
• Buyer profile: thimble collectors, collectors of Spode and English bone china, small gifts

Collector Appeal

Spode's long association with English bone china gives its small decorative pieces an established place among ceramic collectables. This thimble pairs delicate colouring with a narrow gilt border, and suits a thimble display or a small gift.

Small enough for a fingertip, with a whole flower border to itself.