Smoking Related Designs

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George Davidson, in common with other Glass Manufacturers sold a range of different styles of ashtrays, cigarette boxes etc. Indeed the even registered the design for one of them (Design No 831434 ). Most, but not all, where made in Cloud Glass. Manufacture of these types of glassware started after about 1921 when the range of styles produced was dramatically increased. Some of the Davidson ashtrays were multi-functional. They were also sold as butter Pats and pin trays for trinket sets!!

George Davidson also manufactured a range of ashtrays which have the patent No 414562 stamped on the chrome work. These appear in a range of Cloud colours but do not appear in Davidson catalogues. The patent was issued to Erhard & Sohne A.G. of Germany in August 1934 (a German patent was issued in 1933). The patent number refers to the match holder and not the ashtray itself. The unique design of the holder meant that the match strikes as it was pulled from the holder. Some examples of this style are included in this page.

Davidson also produced some advertising ashtrays for cigarette companies and breweries. These examples are very rare today. The example, left, is a No 27 ashtray advertising William Youngers Beers. As this is a small ashtray it would probably not been used in a public house. Whether Davidson or the brewery had the lettering printed on the ashtray is uncertain. We do know from surviving Davidson purchase records that they did have delivery labels printed with the names and addresses of some of these breweries. It is therefore possible that Davidson would have had the lettering printed and supplied a completed article to the brewery.

Many of the ashtrays listed on this page appear in Davidson records, but not in any known catalogues. In these cases we do not know shape or size of the ashtray, only when it was made and in what colours.

Davidson Pattern No:  Round Ashtray A, B, C, D
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber
Size(s):  3.5 inches (A), 3.75 inches (B), 4.25" (C) and 5" (D)
Date Range:  1928(?) to 1942
Description:  This round ashtray with supports for three cigarettes was made in four sizes, but only the "C" size appears to have been made in Cloud Glass and only then for a short period.
 Davidson Pattern No:  Ash Bowl No 10
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber
Size(s):  Unknown
Date Range:  1933 to 1936
Description:  This ashtray described in Davidson records as an Ash Bowl was made between 1933 and 1936. The only Cloud Colour was Amber.
Davidson Pattern No:  Ash Bowl No 12
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber
Size(s):  Unknown
Date Range: 1933 to 1936
Description:  This ashtray described in Davidson records as an Ash Bowl was made between 1933 and 1936. The only Cloud Colour was Amber.

Davidson Pattern No:   "Bridge Ashtrays" 12-15, 29-32
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Purple, Blue, Orange, Red "ORA"
Size(s):  Approx 4 inches (large size 12-15), 2.5 inches (small size 29-32)
Date Range:  1912 to 1942
Description:  Each ashtray in this set is made in the shape of one of the four suits in a pack of playing cards. The large size was introduced in 1912 and was last produced in Cloud Glass in 1935. The catalogue numbers for the individual ashtrays are:

12          Heart
13          Spade
14          Diamond
15          Club

The large size does not appear to have been made in Green Cloud Glass. The small size was introduced in 1933 and sold as a box set. The catalogue numbers for the individual ashtrays in this set are:

29          Heart
30          Spade
31          Diamond
32          Club

The smaller size was not made in Red Cloud glass and may not have been made in Purple Cloud Glass either. Production of this size of ashtray in Cloud Glass ended in 1939. 

Davidson Pattern No:  22, 23 "Bridge Four" Ashtrays
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Blue, Purple and Red "ORA"
Size(s): 4 inches (No 22) and 3.5 inches (No 23)
Date Range:  1931 to 1942
Description: Like the Bridge Ashtrays this design was aimed at the card player. They were sold as a set of 4 ashtrays which formed a neat stack when not in use.

The 4 inch size (No 22) was made in a number of variants according to Davidson records. These included 22H, 22HC and 22/2. Only the 22 and 22/2 variants appears to have been made in Cloud Glass. The 22/2 variant was made in Cloud Glass only in one year - 1935 and only in Amber and Green. After 1935 the No 22 was only made in Amber Cloud Glass.

Production ceased around 1939/1940 and does not appear to have restarted after the war..

Davidson Pattern No:  27
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green Blue and Purple
Size(s):  4 1/8 inches
Date Range:   1929(?) to 1942
Description:  This is a simple round ashtray with rests for three cigarettes.

This design does not appear to have been made after the Second World War.

Davidson Pattern No:  35
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s):  Unknown
Date Range:  Unknown
Description:  This ashtray was made in Amber and Green Cloud Glass only in 1934. The ashtray does not appear in any of the known Davidson catalogues.

Davidson Pattern No:  37
Known Cloud Colours:  Green
Size(s):  Unknown
Date Range:  Unknown
Description:  This ashtray was made in Green Cloud Glass only in 1934. The ashtray does not appear in any of the known Davidson catalogues.
Davidson Pattern No:  44
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s):  Unknown
Date Range:  1936 to 1942
Description:  This ashtray was  introduced in 1936 and made in Amber and Green Cloud Glass. It does not appear to have been made after the war. The ashtray does not appear in any of the known Davidson catalogues.

Davidson Pattern No:  45
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s):  4.5 inches
Date Range:  1936 to 1954
Description:  This simple square ashtray was introduced in 1936. Each corner has a rest for a cigarette.

Manufacture of this ashtray continued to about 1954, but not in cloud colours

Davidson Pattern No:  46
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s): 4.5 inches
Date Range:  1937 to 1938
Description: This 'New and unique Ash tray' was introduced in 1937. At 6.5" long cigarettes could be left on the ashtray with the danger of them falling off. The ashtray only appears to have been made for a few years.

Davidson Pattern No:  47
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber
Size(s):  Unknown
Date Range:  1936 to 1937
Description:  This ashtray was  introduced in 1936 and made in Amber Cloud Glass. It appears to have been in production only for a few years and does not appear in any known catalogues.

Davidson Pattern No:  48
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s): 4.5 inches
Date Range:  1937 to 1942
Description: This round ashtray had rests for 5 cigarettes and was introduced in 1937.

This design does not appear to have been made after the Second World War.

Davidson Pattern No:  53
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s):  Unknown
Date Range:  1938 to 1939
Description:  This ashtray was  introduced in 1938 and made in Amber and Green Cloud Glass. It appears to have been in production only for a few years and does not appear in any known catalogues.

This may be the "Everest Ashtray" described below.

Davidson Pattern No:  54 "Safety Ashtray"
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber
Size(s): 4.5 inches
Date Range:  1938 to 1942
Description: The design for this ashtray was registered in 1938 (No 831434). The centre of the ashtray is moulded to support pipes without them falling over.

This design does not appear to have been made after the Second World War.

Davidson Pattern No:  283
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Blue, Purple, Orange and Red "Ora".
Size(s):  3 inches
Date Range:  1928 to 1942
Description:  This ashtray formed part of the 6283 and 283 trinket sets. It was also sold separately as a butter pat, ashtray or tumbler stand.

This design does not appear to have been made after the Second World War.

Davidson Pattern No:  326
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Purple
Size(s):  4 inches (0val)
Date Range:   1935 to 1942
Description:  This ashtray formed part of the 326 trinket set and was sold separately as an ashtray. See the trinkets page for more information.

This design does not appear to have been made after the Second World War.

Davidson Pattern No:  330
Known Cloud Colours:  Green, Amber
Size(s):  3 inches
Date Range: 1935 to 1942
Description:  This ashtray formed part of the 330 trinket set and was sold separately as an ashtray. See the trinkets page for more information.

This design does not appear to have been made after the Second World War.

Davidson Pattern No:  Cigarette Box
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green, Purple, Blue and Red "Ora"
Size(s):   No 1 Holding 70 Cigarettes  
               No 2 Holding 50 Cigarettes 
               No 3 Holding 30 Cigarettes
Date Range:  1931 to 1942
Description:  These were simple glass lidded boxes. The No 3 size appears to have been introduced later, possibly around 1936.

This design does not appear to have been made after the Second World War.

Davidson Pattern No:  Unknown
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s): 5.5 inches
Date Range:  1934 to ?
Description: The design for this ashtray (No. 793467) was registered on the 8th June 1934 by Thomas Richard Lulham of 67 Highbury Hill, London N5. The design is one of 5 registered (Nos. 793464 to 793468) by Thomas, all being a variation on the same theme. Each design is for a differently shaped ashtray with a centre slot for holding matches and two cigarette rests.

The amber and green cloud suggests that this was made by Davidson. As it does not appear in Davidson catalogues it is likely Davidson made them for Thomas Lulham or the company or shop he worked for.

Davidson Pattern No:  Unknown
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s): 5.25 inches
Date Range:  Unknown
Description: This ashtray has the words "Patent No 827277" and "Everest Ashtray" on the base. The number is not a patent number but a registered design. 827,277 was one of three designs (827,275 to 827,277) registered in May 1938 by T H Lawley & Co Ltd of 22 Golden Square London W1. All three designs were for the same shaped ashtray, but for different classes. 827,275 was Class 1 (metal), 827,276 was Class 3 (pottery) and 827,277 was Class 4 (glass).

As this ashtray does not appear in any Davidson Catalogues, it is probably another example of Davidson making a product for another company. 

What is most surprising is that Jobling made a similar ashtray in the 1930s!

Davidson Pattern No:   Unknown
Known Cloud Colours:  Amber, Green
Size(s):  5.5 inches
Date Range:  1934 to ?
Description:  This design consists of an ashtray with a chrome fixture holding a patented match holder. This design does not appear in the Davidson catalogues so was probably made for another company. The fixture bears the patent No 414562, which was registered to Erhard & Sohne A.G. of Germany. It is still possible to find examples with the original matches. These were made by the British Pullmatch Co Ltd of London.

The mould for the Amber Cloud example was reused by Davidson's in 1957 for their two-piece posy bowl Pattern No 507.

 


Copyright (c) Chris and Val Stewart 2001