June 16, 2009

Hi All,

I have had so many sites with the Haviland Ranson copy patterns...  either undecorated or with (mostly) decals and/or gilt...:

I call these, collectively, "Ranson clones":

"Traymore" by Knowles, Taylor & Knowles: produced 1916-1931
"Francis" by CC Thompson:  1916-1938
"Republic" by Homer Laughlin China Co.:  early 1900s -1940
"Avona" by Taylor, Smith & Taylor:  1916-1938
"Radisson" by WS George:  1907-1942
"Louvre" by Pope-Gosser:  1909-1925

I know it was made by others, like Empire China and Poxon / Vernon China here in California, dates for them from 1924 to 1931+.

SOMEWHERE I remember reading these cheap earthenware knock off patterns had become popular after the end of Haviland's patent protection on their wildly popular Ranson shape.  None of my Haviland references seem to state that date (or I may have missed it...).

I was wondering if anyone knows when the end of that Haviland patent, for the Ranson shape, actually occurred?

Thanks,

Susan