![F756-580 : F52-25.2 [tobacco : UK] Franklyn, Davey & Co “Modern Dance Steps” second series (1931) 35/50](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2022-04/30%20dance%20%281%29.jpg?itok=gkgGk-fU)
Franklyn, Davey & Co were based in Bristol.
They were established in 1790 and joined Imperial Tobacco co. in 1901.
They were still trading at the time of our original World Tobacco Issues Index, 1956.
Their earliest sets were issued from 1896, but after joining the I.T.C. they were often duplicates of those issued by Wills and Ogden. However, this set was only issued by them; it is split into two series, the first, circulated in 1929, and our second series, two years later.
They are strange sets, for who would have thought that a series showing how a couple dance could be collectable, and yet there is a romantic wonderfulness to seeing them, frozen in time, clasped together, all poised to take the next step but never being able to do so.
Were they happy to spend eternity like this in the gentle hold of each others arms? Was she thinking that after all this time following him around the halls they had at last managed to get a dance together? Did he even look at her? Did her feet hurt? His arm ache?
Alas.
We shall never know....