Decorative Lighting - Late 1930s Style

by Mark A. Nye
Issue No. 334 - February 2001

Reprinted in this issue and next months issue are several circular letters sent in the late 1930s by W.C. McCartney, Cambridge Sales Manager, to all the Cambridge sales agents. They all deal with either Hurricane lamps, epergnes, or candelabra. The catalog pages illustrating the specific items, plus others are from the 1940 catalog.

[Webmaster's Note: The Crystal Ball contained copies of the original Circular Letters. The quality of those letters make it difficult to present them here, and if they were included as pictures, you would not have the capability of searching on them. Therefore the Circular Letters have been retyped below.]

When reading these letters keep in mind list price is per dozen retail. The basic wholesale discount was 50% and the best customers received additional discounts on top of this.

October 2, 1937
654 Epergne
Circular Letter #16
To All Agents:

The question has been brought up several times by some of our representatives and customers relative to the #654 Epergne. They have said it was too small and it would take a pair of them on a table that they might use it successfully.

Now, this is partly true but when we explained it to those bringing up this question they very readily saw the point in the use of this Epergne.

True, this Epergne only holds one candle and we made it purposely so. It is made so that it can be used in pairs, one at each end of a long table, or one of them can be used on a small table set for four.

One of the greatest uses for this particular Epergne is for the bridge table and perhaps it would be a good idea to call it the Bridge Table Epergne and to have the stores so advertise it. Picture to the buyer and the retail customer the bridge game ans the hour when it comes to serve the lunch -- the hostess clears the table and puts on the lunch cloths and sets in the middle of each table one of these Epergnes. From this you can go on and picture the party.

There are so many ideas that can be worked out in connection with this particular Epergne that we leave it to your ingenuity to work out and make the suggestions to the customers.

Yours truly, The Cambridge Glass Company
W. C. McCartney

October 15, 1938
NEW CANDELABRA
CIRCULAR LETTER #109
TO ALL AGENTS:

We have had a few nice orders on a couple of new Candelabra we have worked up.

These two Candelabra are the #1440/5 and #1269/5 assembled with ten 5 in. prisms and the large bobeche. These Candlesticks when fitted with these prisms make a very rich and handsome Candelabra.

The list price on either will be $75.00, so at the extreme discount it makes a good $5.00 retailer or $10.0O a pair.

If you desire that we send you a sample of each for your road samples, please advise and we will send them immediately.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS COMPANY
W.C. McCartney

December 31, 1938
CIRCULAR LETTER #10 - 1939
1443 - CANDELABRUM

We wish to call your attention to the new #1443 3 lite candelabrum, sample of which is being sent.

We have been having calls for such a Candelabra for quite some time and now we have at last produced it.

You will notice it is made on the same design as the #1441 two-way which has been one of the most popular large Candelabra on the market.

This is our own design and is carried out in a great many of our old Candelabra and Candlesticks, so we thought in making a 3-way we would still continue a1ong the order of this design.

We are listing this at $150.00 per dozen. At this price, this should be a very popular item.

Add to Candelabrum price list page 5. Illustration is attached.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS COMPANY
W.C. McCartney