THE TALENTED Mr Daniel

Having left Spode to set up on his own, this skilful designer developed innovative designs using traditional methods

- Willa Latham

Today we are visiting Stoke in Staffordshire to get to know more about a man whose name is little known outside a small circle of porcelain collectors, yet he has been responsible for some of the most beautiful British porcelain designs.

Henry Daniel was the son of a family of Staffordshire colour makers and decorators and, after his apprenticeship, he set up his own decorating studio. Remember when we talked about Josiah Spode's knack for profitable partnerships in the July 2022 issue? Daniel's workshop was within the Spode factory, decorating Spode's porcelain between c1805 and 1822. He bought the blanks, decorated them, and sold them back to Spode. From flowers to Imari to chinoiserie to neoclassical scenes: when you look at a beautiful Spode piece of this period, it is as much a Daniel piece.

In 1822, Daniel decided to leave Spode and produce porcelain with his son, Richard; this became the H&R Daniel factory. In an amicable split with Spode, the workers could choose who they wanted to work for, and many went with Daniel. Why Daniel took the huge risk to set up his own factory is slightly puzzling. The Spode factory was a beacon of innovation with its early development of bone china, felspar porcelain, the printing press and steam grinders. Spode's output was huge and Daniel had a guaranteed supply of work, with access to all the latest technology.