Designer: Annemarie Davidson (1920 – 2012)

Item: Enamel inlaid desk, smoking or dresser set

Manufactured by: Annemarie Davidson

Country of origin: United States

Year made: Circa 1960

Materials: Copper enamel tile on wood box and lighter.

Dimensions: Box is 2” x 8” x 3 ¾” , tray is 1” x 7 ¾” diameter, and lighter is 3 ¾” x 2 ¼” x 2 ¼”

Condition: Excellent overall. Some light scratches and small nicks to the wood on the box as shown, and some moisture stains to the base of the lighter. The enamel plaques are flawless.

Description: Here is a very rarely found complete and matching accessories set of Davidson’s heavy enamel work that was sold as a smoker’s set, but can also be used as either an office desk set or a dresser set. This three-piece set consists of a hinged lidded box, a lighter and a tray. However, the tray is not a traditional ashtray with slots to hold cigarettes. The decoration on the enamel work is her most highly regarded Jewels design. This design is similar to others we have seen, but using a different color scheme with psychedelic orbs and ray bursts in more muted earth tones. Usually we see these objects in bright blues, gold and greens. These abstracted forms and shapes are often referred to as her Jewels design and are considered her most highly acclaimed and collected works. Davidson collaborated with Blaine Rathe who was an established woodworker and well regarded studio artist in her own right, to produce the boxes and other wood bases for Davidson’s enamel art. The wood box and lighter base are Rathe’s work. A similar version of this set is reproduced on Davidson’s promotional card that accompanied the sales of her objects, as shown here.

References: Nelson, Harold; Jazzar, Bernard, Painting with Fire: Masters of Enameling in America, 1930-1980. Long Beach Museum of Art, California (2006); Rosenberg, Alan, Alluring Enamel. Modernism Magazine: (Spring 2003) pgs 68–72; Jazzar, Bernard N and Nelson, Harold B. The Enamels of Annemarie Davidson, Glass on Metal, The Enamellist’s Magazine, Volume 27 Number 5 December 2008, pgs 98-100; periodical California Design: 6 in 1960.