Cambridge Glass

April's A.G.C.A.P. Dealer of the Month is Paul Todaro.  Paul has been a member of the Antique Gallery family for 20+ years.  Paul specializes in the hard to find, unique antiques & collectibles as well as having quite a selection and knowledge of trains.  Please visit his booth located between Aisle 3 North and Aisle 4 North Booth F-10 - G-11.Look at all of this nice glassware items he has!

Next, our ASK OUR EXPERTS Appraisal Fair will be held Saturday June 16, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Cost per verbal appraisal will be $5.00 per item with NO LIMIT on the number of items you bring!  Keep checking back for more info!


No Bllog Special this week but check back next week.  Here is a nice article on Cambridge Glass.

Thanks to Pamela Wiggins About.comAntiques


- Cambridge began as National Glass Company making pressed glass wares in the early 1900s.
- Cambridge began using its well-known “C” within a triangle mark in the 1920s. Not all Cambridge pieces are marked, however.
- Many of the most interesting pieces and popular patterns from a collecting standpoint were introduced in the 1930s and sold briskly well into the 1940s.
Cambridge Company History
It wasn't so long ago that the well-dressed table or buffet included a selection of elegantly etched stemware and accessories. If these pieces came from the Cambridge Glass Company, they were sure to be of unsurpassed quality.
Founded as National Glass Company, the earliest glassware items attributed to the Cambridge, Ohio factory were actually heavy pressed patterns rather than handmade etched glass. The company used the mark "Near Cut," according to the National Cambridge Collectors (NCC) Web site. These early 20th century glass gems impersonated popular styles of hand cut glass that had become too costly to produce although the look was still in demand.
After running upon some hard times during the early 1900s, the company's manager, Arthur J. Bennett, raised the funds required to purchase the factory in 1907. Bennett continued to refine and grow what became the Cambridge Glass Company under his ownership.
The Birth of a Familiar Mark and Favored Styles
During the company's expansion in the 1920s, Benett introduced the well-known C within a triangle trademark. This mark doesn't show up on every item that left the Cambridge factory, so when collectors run across a signed piece they enjoy the find even more. A mark doesn't necessarily add value to the commonly recognized patterns, however.
By the 1930s, Cambridge Glass Company introduced some of its most interesting wares from a collecting standpoint. Throughout the '40s, homemakers entertained and decorated with the most popular Cambridge patterns. From the famed Rosepoint etch to the cool blue of the Caprice line, collectors clamor to own these sparkling treasures today.
Cambridge Lives on After Factory Closing
The manufacture of these popular glass items continued into the early '50s when business began to slow. Although Cambridge won national acclaim in 1950 for the modern design of its Square pattern, the company closed in 1954. The entity simply couldn’t compete as the demand for handmade glass decreased and suppliers of machine made glass began to dominate the industry. After a brief reopening, Cambridge closed shop for the final time in 1958.
Imperial Glass Company eventually acquired the Cambridge factory and molds in 1960. When Imperial went bankrupt in the early '80s, many of the molds, all of the etching plates and numerous other assets once belonging to Cambridge were purchased by the NCC and reside in the organization's museum today.
Even if you don’t own a formal dining suite, using fine glass on the table can add an air of sophistication to any setting. Entertaining with elegant glass is always appropriate, especially for bridal showers and other special occasions. Even a few pieces mixed in with whiteware or a favorite china pattern works well in most settings. And, elegant glass can be used in other areas of the home as well.
A beautiful Cambridge platter makes and excellent dresser tray to corral clutter. A footed water glass and matching pitcher add a touch of class to a bedside table. And any large bowl can hold a multitude of objects ranging from mirrored decorative spheres to a collection of old marbles. Scouring decorating magazines for more ideas like these will give you an excuse to bring some elegance into your home, no matter how casual your lifestyle may be.

Remember OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD     BUY ANTIQUES!