Davidson Two Piece Flower Sets

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A two piece flower set consists of the flower bowl and a flower support, normally a No 3 flower block. Sometimes antique dealers will add a plinth to a set they have for sale, in the erroneous belief that all flower sets should come with a plinth. Even Davidson's own catalogues were often confused when it came to deciding whether a style should or should not come with a plinth.

Davidson Pattern No:  No 26
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s):  9.5" Diameter
Date Range: 1934 to 1937
Description:  This two piece flower set featured a 4 inch patent 'Lock' Block flower holder. This flower holder was a variation on the dome flower support. Although the design was registered in 1931, Davidson did not start making the No 26 set until 1934. It clearly was not popular as production only lasted until 1937.

Davidson Pattern No:  34D, 34SD
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green,  Purple, Orange, Topaz-Briar
Size(s):  9.5 inches (34SD) and 11 inches (34D) diameter
Date Range: 1934 to 1957
Description:  The 34 D is part of the large range of flower sets and vases which was introduced at the 1934 British Industries Fair. Unlike most other flower bowls, the 34 range does not have any ribbing around the sides. Instead the sides of the bowl are smooth and gently curving. The SD and D bowls came with 4 and 4.5 inch dome flower blocks respectively. The small version continued to be made after the war in Amber Cloud Glass and later in Topaz-Briar

Davidson Pattern No:  34SLF
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Orange
Size(s):  10" Diameter
Date Range: 1934 to 1942
Description:  This version of the No 34 flower bowl appears like an upside down hat. Essentially this is a 34SD with the rim turned up rather than down. An unusual design in a period of normally harsh geometric lines. Like the 34SD this bowl came with a 4" dome flower block.
Davidson Pattern No:  34F, 34SF
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Orange
Size(s):  9.5 inches (34SF) and 11 inches (34F) diameter
Date Range: 1934 to 1937
Description:  This version of the 34 flower bowl was very short lived, only being manufactured in Cloud Glass for two years. The bowl came with either a 4" or 5" dome flower block.
Davidson Pattern No:  283
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Blue, Purple, Green, Topaz-Briar
Size(s):  4, 5, 6, 8 inches diameter
Date Range: 1925 to 1942
Description:  The 283 was a popular Davidson pattern made in a large range of glassware. The small 4" size ceased to be sold in 1934, the other sizes until the Second World War. The flower set came with a No 3 dome flower block. The sizes used were 2", 2.5", 3" and 4" respectively. The 4" size is often found on a No 3 plinth as seen in the picture, right.
Davidson Pattern No:  697, 697L
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Blue, Purple
Size(s):  8" Diameter
Date Range: 1928 to 1935
Description:  The front of the 1928 catalogue pictured the 697 bowl filled with flowers on a table with the matching candlesticks. The caption read:

  'The illustration of Bowl 697 and Candlesticks to match gives a delightful example of one of the many uses to which these new and interesting designs may be put, namely a "Console Set". Again, these sets may be used with good effect for the decoration of a Dining Table as they are made in a variety of plain and matt colours in addition to flint. The Candlesticks may be adapted for Electric Light' 

After 1932, the 697 was limited to Amber in  Cloud colours. The 697 came with a 4.5" dome flower block.

Davidson Pattern No:  700D,700
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Purple, Blue, Green, Orange, Red 'Ora'
Size(s):  11.5" Diameter
Date Range: 1930(?) to 1942
Description:  The 700D is one of the most impressive of the Davidson Flower bowls with its large sweeping down turned rim. The bowl came with a No 3 5" semi-dome flower block and was made in the full range of pre-war Cloud Glass colours. The 700 variant with a straight rim is very rare, and appears to have only been made in Amber Cloud Glass.

According to the Davidson catalogues, the 700 flower set did not come with a plinth. However, it is often sold at fairs with a No 1 plinth.

Production of the 700 flower set does not appear to have continued after the war

Davidson Pattern No:  700 VG
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Purple, Blue, Green, Red 'Ora'
Size(s):  7 inches high
Date Range: 1930(?) to 1937
Description:  This is a 700 with the rim turned up and out to form a vase. The shape is same as the 1910 BV vase. The vase was sold with a 4.5 inch flower dome. The second picture, left, shows another 700 VG. In this example the rim is not as flared making the vase slightly taller.

 

Davidson Pattern No:  705, 725
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Blue, Purple, Orange
Size(s):  16 inches (705), 13 inches (725) diameter
Date Range: 1931 to 1934
Description: Unlike most other flower bowls the 705 and 725 flower sets did not come with a No 3 dome flower support. Instead it was sold with a 4.5 or 6" Premier support. This flower set featured in one of the very few colour adverts that Davidson placed in the Pottery Gazette. It is shown on a table with blue lilies supported by the Premier support. The bowl was not photographed for the advert instead it was painted.

Their rarity suggests they were not made in large quantities.

Davidson Pattern No:  706
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Blue, Purple
Size(s):  14.5" diameter
Date Range: 1931 to 1934
Description:  This large bowl had the typical D type turned over rim. The bowl was either sold with a 7" Premier support or a 7.5" dome flower block.

It's rarity suggests it was not made in large quantities.

Davidson Pattern No:  707, 727
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Blue, Purple, Green,
Size(s):  15 inches (707), 12" (727) diameter
Date Range: 1931 to 1942
Description:  This is a very simple style of bowl. It is deep to accommodate the flower support and with a short flared rim. The large size does not appear to have been in production for very long as it does not appear in the 1936 price list. The 727 came with 5" and the 707 a 6" dome flower block.

It's rarity suggests they were not made in large quantities.

Davidson Pattern No:  732
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Blue, Purple, Orange
Size(s):  8.5" Diameter
Date Range: 1930 to 1936
Description:  The 732 is a deep bowl with a slightly flared rim. It was made in much smaller quantities than the F version (see below). Indeed production stopped in 1936. The bowl came with a 3.5 inch dome flower block. The picture right shows the 732 with out the flower Block.
Davidson Pattern No:  732F
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Blue, Purple, Orange
Size(s):  9.5" Diameter
Date Range: 1930 to 1957(?)
Description:  The F (flared) version of this design was far more popular and continued to be made after the war. Like the 732 the F version came with a 3.5" dome flower block. Although in the Davidson catalogues this is always described as a 2-piece flower set, the 1936 price list has the 732F listed with a No 1 Plinth. The picture right shows the 732F on a number one plinth, but missing the flower support.
Davidson Pattern No:  733, 734, 735,
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Purple
Size(s):  20 inches (733), 17 inches (734), 15 inches (735)
Date Range: 1934 to 1938
Description:  These were the largest flower sets that Davidson made. The massive 733 is sometimes known as the Hotel Flower Set, as they were too large to fit in an ordinary house and were probably made for public spaces of hotels and the like. The D form with the turned down rim is the rarer of the two styles, although collectors are lucky to find any bowls of this size. Even rarer are the No 3 dome flower supports that went with them. These bowls took the following sizes of flower block.

733                      10"
734                       8.5" 
735                       7.5"

These flower sets do not appear to have been made after the war.

Davidson Pattern No:  733D, 734D, 735D
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Purple
Size(s):  20 inches (733), 17 inches (734), 15 inches (735)
Date Range: 1934 to 1938
Description:  The D type version of the 733, 734 and 735 have a turned over rim. They were made in smaller numbers than the standard version with a flared rim.

 

Davidson Pattern No:  741
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber
Size(s): 13" (D), 9.5" (Flared), 11.5" (Cupped)
Date Range: 1939 to 1960 (?)
Description:  Very little of this style of bowl was made in Cloud Glass, and thus it is extremely rare. The picture right is off a 9.5" flared bowl. The 13" D and 11.5" Cupped variants do not appear to have been made after the war. The 9.5" bowl was probably made until about 1960. It is likely that a Topaz-Briar version would have been made, although none are known to us. All three came with a 5" flower dome. The picture below is reproduced from an advert in the 1940 Pottery Gazette.

Davidson Pattern No:  1445 D, 1446 D (Chippendale)
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s):  9.5" diameter (1445 D), 12.5" diameter (1446 D)
Date Range: 1935 to 1936
Description:  The 1445 and 1446 styles were the only Chippendale design Davidson produced in Cloud Glass before the war. Although this bowl was in production for much longer than the two years stated here, it was only produced in Cloud Glass for these two years.

The bowl came with a 4" dome flower support.

Davidson Pattern No:  1445, 1446 (Chippendale)
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s):  6 inches high (1445), 8" high (1446)
Date Range: 1935 to 1936
Description:  The upright version of the 1445 D bowl. Only 113 were made in Amber Cloud had 192 in Green Cloud. The 1445 is very rare.
Davidson Pattern No:  1528 Cress Dish (Chippendale)
Known Cloud Colours:  Green
Size(s):  7.5 inches diameter
Date Range: Unknown, probably immediate post war
Description:  This cress dish is very unusual for two reasons. Firstly it is the only known example of a Chippendale Cress dish in Cloud Glass. Secondly the colour. The trails are a 'turquoise' like Green rather than the normal green of Green Cloud Glass. The dish would have had a No 609 under plate as part of the set.

This may have been a trial piece which was never produced in great numbers.

 


Copyright (c) Chris and Val Stewart 2001