To create
an attractive flower display in a vase or bowl, some form of support is required
to keep the flowers in the correct position. Today flower arrangers use oasis,
an artificial foam into which the flower stems can be pushed. Prior to the
introduction of oasis, vases and flower bowls came with their own flower
supports. Davidson, in common with other glass manufacturers, produced a variety
of different flower holders for their vases and flower bowls. These were also
sold independently. Adverts for the 'Dome Flower Block' can be found in the Army
and Navy Stores catalogues of the 1930s. Another example is a 1934 Liberty
catalogue which shows a Monart bowl fitted with a Davidson flower dome
Today the term 'frog' is sometimes used by collectors and dealers
for flower blocks and supports. This is a modern term. Davidson always described them as
flower blocks or flower supports.
Probably
Davidson's most well known creation was the Dome Flower Block. This simple
flower holder was the subject of no less than 3 patents. The first patent came
in 1910 (Patent No 7830) and appears on all of the Dome Flower Blocks, even
those made in the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1931 Davidson obtained two more
patents (382,699 and 382,902) which improved the process of
manufacture. Davidson's original patent was entitled
'Improvements in the manufacture of flower blocks and the like'. Thus the patent
is not for the idea of a flower block, rather a method of manufacture.
The Dome flower
block was in the following sizes 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4. 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7. 7.5,
8.5 and 10 inches diameter. Davidson also made the dome in two styles, Pattern
No 3H which had the holes pierced through the base and No 3 which was not
pierced. The flower dome was made in the full Cloud Glass colour range with the
exception of Red for obvious reasons. On the base of the frog can be found the
size, the words 'Made in England' and the phrase 'Patent 7830/1910' all in
raised letters. Domes made after 1931 will also have either just the 382699
patent number or both the 1931 patent numbers. A special interlocking version of
the Dome Flower block was also made. This was patented by Frederic Atkinson
in 1931. See Patent No 362737 for more
details.
Davidson
also produced an oval version of the flower dome - Pattern No 5 (not pierced)
and 5H (pierced). The oval version was produced in only 3 sizes - 6, 7 and 8
inches. This dome was used in the oblong 321 flower set. Consequently
it is quite rare in any colour. When found in Cloud Glass it is usually Amber
Cloud. As this shape was introduced after 1931, the oval block will have the
1910 and one or both of the 1931 patent numbers on the base.
Davidson made two
other flower blocks, the No 1 Round Block (flat) and the number 8 Round Block (semi-dome).
These where used in flower sets where the dome block would be two high. The No 1
block was supplied with the 1907T flower set. The No 8 flower block is found in small
flower sets such as the 1907TD and the 1910SD.
The
No 1 Round Block (right) was made in the following sizes 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5
and 5 inches. A oval version, Pattern No 2, was also produced in 4 and 5.5 inch
sizes. A notable feature of the No 1 and 2 blocks is the ribbed side which
gives the impression that it is made up of many cylinders of glass. As this
flower block is not covered by the dome patents, the only markings found on this
flower block are the words 'Made in England'.
The
No 8 Semi-dome flower block was made in the following sizes 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 and
4.5 inches. This dome is covered by the Dome patents so it normally has the same
information on the base as the Dome Flower Block.
Davidson also
produced a number of different flower supports for their range of vases. These
were the "Premier", the "Teams" the "Wheel" and
the "Grid" flower supports.
The
"Premier" flower support was a registered design (No 698103,
May 1923). Surprisingly this was a design registered by the Stourbridge
Glass Company. One assumes that Davidson bought the rights to use the design
themselves. The "Premier" always bears the registered design number,
but no reference to Stourbridge Glass. The Premier was used in vases such as the
278 (which was also sold with the "Grid"
flower support according to the 1935 catalogue. It is difficult to see how the
grid support would fit this vase). An oval version of the Premier was also produced.
The
Premier support was made in the following sizes 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6 and 7 inches.
All sizes were made in both the oval and round form. The round Premier support
occurs in most Cloud Glass colours. It is rare to find the oval form in any
Cloud colours. The most common size made appears to be 4.5 inches.
The Premier was actually a dual purpose flower support. Davidson
also sold the "Premier" as a flower support for the 705 and 725 flower
bowls. In this instance the support was used upside down as shown in the
photograph. The 725 bowl with the Premier support was the centre piece of
Davidson's only colour advert in the Pottery Trade Gazette in the 1930s (Feb
1931).
Davidson describes the "Teams" Flower support as 'A
practical fitting for Vases'. The design for the support was registered in
November 1929 (Registered Design No 750394).
It was made in 3 sizes 4, 4.5 and 5.5 inches. Despite the fact that Davidson
went to the trouble of registering this design, it is rare to find a vase with
this fitting. Indeed, although it is described in a number of Davidson
catalogues, it is not mentioned in conjunction with any vase.
A more common flower support is the 'Wheel' flower support. This
is most often found with the "Ripple" pattern vase No 741
which was introduced in 1939 and made for sometime after the war. The 'Wheel'
support was made in 3 sizes 4, 4.5 and 5.5 inches diameter. Practically the only
Cloud Glass colour this support is found in is Topaz-Briar.
The
final flower support produced by Davidson was the No 10 "Grid"
support. This support was used on the 10/1910 3 piece flower set and also on the
Chippendale No 1547/10 flower set. The 10/1910 flower set was produced in many
different Cloud Glass colours and it quite common. The most common colours being
Amber and Topaz-Briar. Davidson also produced a rectangular Grid support for the
No 296 'Fan' vase.
There are two other flower supports that have not been mentioned
so far. The first is the Glass support for Hyacinth set No 292
the design for which Davidson registered in 1936 and secondly the flower block
No 721774 which Davidson registered in 1926.
The Hyacinth support with the 'Stayket' support for the blooms is a very
practical idea, unfortunately the holes for the bulbs are generally too large
for today's prepared Hyacinth bulbs. The 721774 flower block, although
registered by Davidson does not appear to have been used by them. Certainly it
does not appear in any Davidson catalogue.
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