Charles Davis (1849-1914) was one of the most well-known antique dealers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He counted the Rothschild family and H.M. King Edward VII among his clients. He catalogued the collections of Alfred de Rothschild, producing 'A Description of the Works of Art forming the collection of Alfred de Rothschild (2 volumes, 1884), and was also involved (with the dealer Frederick Rathbone) in the sale of the Tweedmouth Collection of Wedgwood, sold to Lord Lever in 1905. In 1903 he was appointed 'art expert' to King Edward VII (the title was renewed in 1910 by King George V.
His father, Frederick Davis (c.1825-1899), was also a leading dealer in works of art during the second half of the 19th century; Frederick married a sister of the dealer Isaac Falcke (1891-1909) and Charles was born as a result of that union. Charles began his life as an antique dealer working with his father in the business Frederick Davis & Son in Bond Street; by 1900, following the death of his father, Charles had renamed the business in his own name. Charles' sons, Richard Davis and his brother Leopold, continued the Davis business after Charles' death in 1914, trading as 'Davis Brothers'; Richard appears to have left the firm in c.1923, when the business became Leopold C. Davis.