Until 1931 these companies were primarily bottle makers but they branched out into domestic tableware in the 1930s making bowls, jugs and drinking glasses, many of these showing Art Deco influences.
Some of these were produced in their millions for public houses and restaurants and included the Paris goblet, the Nonik beer mug[1] and the Babycham-style Champagne glass.
Until 1972 the company had been called United Glass Tableware Ltd, but in that year Ronald Andrew Murphy was recruited from BOC's Sparklets Division to develop and market the retail business.
Ronald Murphy also arranged the sponsoring and formation of The Glassshouse in Covent Garden in conjunction with the Royal College of Art, The Glasshouse was a place where talented graduates could develop their glass and ceramic designs.
Ad Graphics and Portland Studios were appointed to radically upgrade packaging design; Ravenhead started TV advertising targeted particularly at the Christmas gift market.
The assertive European development even had Finnish newspapers railing at Ravenhead's national advertising there, saying that their local producers, such as Iittala, had to be protected against this foreign invader.