Topic: Crown Ducal strainer bowl and underplate

[Anne]

This is one of those sets which I always think of as a cress set (why? no idea, but I do.) The bowl would hold a enough cress  or not enough lettuce for a decent salad.  It's marked underneath both pieces as Crown Ducal, Made in England, and some numbers in green. No clue as to when this was made - any ideas as to when these would have been popular please  or what this pattern may have been called?

[Lustrousstone]

Godden isn't particularly helpful. AG Richardson & Co. Ltd, Gordon Pottery, Tunstall, Staffordshire, then at Britannia Pottery, Cobridge from 1934. This sort mark appeared about 1935 with just England, but I would suggest later for the Made in England. I think these drainer dishes are called cress sets or sometimes grape dishes, wouldn't want any sogginess would we.

[Anne]

Thanks Christine, so I wasn't imagining things when I called it a cress set?  That term came out of the depths of my memory from somewhere... 

I just remembered my gravy boat is a Crown Ducal as well, so hauled it down off the shelf and checked what that says: "Bristol" Crown Ducal England Rd No 762055. so presumably that's the older version as the Rd No dates to 1931  - I must do a pic and add that too - it might be of use sometime.

[Lustrousstone]

You see them in that stuff we talk about elsewhere too, often without the plates 

[Anne]

A little update to this topic. I just found a site with dates for various Crown Ducal
backstamps, which gives 1935-38 for the one on mine.
http://www.perfectpieces.co.uk/backstinfo.php?pmanuid=6

Incidentally, Christine, re your last comment, I have a cress dish set in Chippendale glass as well.

[Lustrousstone]

No excuse for soggy salad then 

[Anne]

Absolutely none Christine! No limp lettuces here thank you!  

I still can't identify this pattern though. I've been all through Replacements.com and various other sites and haven't seen another piece in the same pattern - how frustrating is that?!

[Lustrousstone]

Maybe it only had a pattern number 4094, seems to be quite common for 1930s stuff