The Cambridge Colors: A Useful Tool

By Bill Alexander
Issue # 366 - October 2003

At the NCC Convention this year, I heard the call from Crystal Ball Editor Alex Citron for more submissions of articles. Being a loyal reader of this newsletter for many years, I thought, "why not step up to the challenge and give it a try."

In beginning this process, I thought quite a bit about what kind of article to submit, and about what kind of article I - as a reader - would like to see. I concluded that, since all of us want to be more knowledgeable collectors, I ought to try to provide some type of tool that could help with this process. Such a tool might be appreciated, and more importantly, used.

Over recent months, The Crystal Ball has presented a series of very informative articles by Les Hansen on the various glass formulae developed by Henry Hellmers, a man very central to the development of Cambridge's colors. The tool that follows on pages 13 & 14 also deals with colors, and is designed to supplement the Hellmers series by providing a summary of the Cambridge Colors grouped by color family and production period.

My goal was to summarize the Cambridge Colors data concisely, in one location, for easy use and reference.

Our excellent reference book, "Colors in Cambridge Glass," served as the starting point. Newer information pertaining to production runs was added, using both our museum displays and the expertise of various club members as resources. In an attempt to keep the list manageable, references to experimental colors, special treatments, alternate names, limited runs, etc. were intentionally omitted. Some latitude was also taken in the assignment of the broad color categories, and the assignment of the individual colors to their respective groups.

If we put aside potential debates ("Why is Ivory in the Yellows and not in the Whites?"), we can begin to have a broader appreciation of what Cambridge was actually able to accomplish during its 50-plus years of existence. I, for one, had never consciously realized that Cambridge developed a palette of more than 50 colors! When you look at the production from other glass manufacturers of the period, this number is very impressive.

Blue, an easy color to create, led all categories with 12 varieties. Green was second, with nine offerings, followed - interestingly - by purple, with six variations.

A knowledge of colors and their production periods is important in identifying oddities - an etching on a blank of another era, for example. It can also help with the identification of reproductions and look-alikes. Also, knowing color history can help pinpoint the era of a piece done over a long period: an Eleanor Blue nut cup, etched Portia, was made during a specific 3-year window, even though Portia was used for decades.

Many of us were attracted to Cambridge by its colors. If the realization of this beautiful spectrum hasn't hit you yet, it is hoped that this article and supporting chart will help you appreciate Cambridge Glass in a new light.

Color Production Years Plate #
AMBER
1903 Amber 1903 - prior to 1924 1
Amber (Amber-glo) 1924 - 1954 15, 16
Madeira 1929 - 1930 15, 16
Mocha 1938 - 1943 42
Late Amber 1955 - 1958 49
BLACK
Ebony 1916 - 1958 (off and on) 2, 5
Ebon 1954 46
Smoke 1955 - 1958 47
BLUE
1903 Blue 1903 - prior to 1916 1
Turquoise 1903 - prior to 1906 1
Early Royal Blue 1916 - early 1920's 1
Azurite 1922 - mid 1920's 4
Cobalt Blue 1 (Aurora) Early 1920's - prior to 1925 17
Cobalt Blue 2 (Night Blue) 1925 - 1926 21
Bluebell 1926 - 1929 22
(Tahoe Blue) 1940's (Name change) 56
Willow Blue 1928 - 1933 23
(Eleanor Blue) 1933 - 1936 (Name change) 23
Ritz Blue 1929 - 1931 21
Royal Blue 1931 - early 1940's 31, 32
Moonlight 1936 - 1952 38
(Moonlight Blue) 1955 - 1958 (Name change) 38
Windsor Blue 1937 39
GREEN
1903 Green 1903 - prior to 1916 1
Early Dark Emerald 1916 - prior to 1923 2
Light Emerald Green 1923 - early 1940's 11,12
Jade 1924 - mid 1920's 8
Avocado 1927 - 1928 26
Forest Green 1931 - early 1940's 33
Pistachio 1938 - 1943 41
Late Dark Emerald 1949 - 1958 44
Late Pistachio 1955 - 1958 49
MULTICOLOR
Rubina 1925 - mid/late 1920's 18,19
Sunset 1955 - 1958 49
White Rain, Blue Cloud & Strawberry 1956 - 1958 48
Mardi Gras 1957 - 1958 48
PINK
Peach-Blo 1925 - 1934 20
(Dianthus Pink) 1934 - early 1940's (Name Change) 20
Crown Tuscan 1932 - 1958 35, 36
Coral 1935 - 1949 37
LaRosa 1938 - 1943 40
Late Pink 1955 - 1958 49
PURPLE
Early Mulberry 1916 - prior to 1923 2
Helio 1923 - 1925 7
Mulberry 1923 - prior to 1931 10
Amethyst 1931 - 1958 30
Heatherbloom 1931 - 1935 34
Violet Sometime from 1955 to 1958 49
RED
Carmen 1931 - 1958 (off and on) 27 - 29
WHITE
Opal 1903 - prior to 1906 1
Carrara 1923 - mid 1920's 8
Milk 1954 45
YELLOW
Topaz 1923 - mid 1930's 9
Primrose 1923 - mid 1920's 6
Ivory 1924 - mid 1920's 13
Gold Krystol 1929 - 1952 25
Mandarin Gold 1949 - 1958 43