Patterns - Caprice, Part II

by Bill Smith
Issue #45 January 1977

Caprice - Crystal Beauty in a SWIRL of LIGHT

"Like a sun-lit font welling from cool, quiet depths, Caprice fascinates the eye with brilliant, rippling beauty. A truly classic design by Cambridge. It is today's most popular pattern. Impressive in any setting, practical, modestly priced. Choose from over 150 open stock pieces in Crystal, Moonlight Blue, or La Rosa Pink."

(The above is from the ad cut used by Cambridge for the 1938 ads in national publications.)

Using only our 1940 Catalog and Price List we have a total of ten pages of pictured items and two pages of prices and colors. This would indicate that six to eight issues will be required for the presentation without even considering the information provided by later catalogs and price lists or the possibilities of additional earlier information. Your response will be the final determination of how much Caprice is presented.

Knowing full well that there are many of you who are not Caprice collectors, we will mention at this time that our expectations are that other patterns will be covered in a like manner in the future. We will also be including information in this article that is applicable to other patterns.

The following is an example of information that could be applied to any pieces that the company produced in 1940.

INFORMATION ABOUT COLORS

Colors in which our glassware is made are not specified in the catalog but are clearly indicated in the price list. Abbreviations for the colors used in many instances are as follows:

Crys - Crystal - Clear colorless Crystal
A - Amber - A true Amber-brown
Mo - Mocha - Delicate pastel Amber tint, lighter than our Amber
Em - Emerald - Light transparent Green
Pi - Pistachio - Delicate pastel green, lighter than Emerald
Fg - Forest green - Dark Green
Dp - Dianthus Pink - Light transparent Pink
LaR - La Rosa - Delicate pastel pink, lighter than Dianthus Pink
Ml - Moonlight Blue - Delicate pastel Blue
Rb - Royal Blue - Dark Blue
Ame - Amethyst - Dark purple or Mulberry
GK - Gold Krystol - Transparent Golden Tint
- Carmen - Clear brilliant Ruby
- Coral - Opaque Shell Pink
- Crown Tuscan - Opaque Shell Pink
- Ebony - Black
*Varitone - Combination sets of Moonlight, La Rosa, Mocha, and Pistachio|
*Rainbow - Combination sets of Amber, Royal Blue, Forest Green, and Amethyst.

* The October 16, 1943 letter mentioned in our last article, states that; "as of this date - Rainbow Sets will be made up in a solid (all one color) either Amber or Amethyst. Varitone Sets will be made up all of one color, either Moonlight Blue or Gold Krystol."

From another national ad - (1936?)

CAPRICE - - - like the enchantment of RIPPLING WATER.

Twirl a Caprice goblet in your fingers and watch the waves of light that play and ripple in its lovely crystal. Never before has any crystal achieved such life and movement - - or held such fascination.

Next month - - more catalog pages and more interesting facts.  Collect CAPRICE