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Faizan
Founded in 1901 in Cambridge, Ohio, the Cambridge Glass Company manufactured decorative glassware until the 1950s. During its history, the company produced a variety of goods, including clear, colored, etched, and heavy-pressed glass. Cambridge glass is readily available to collectors, with a wide variety of shapes and patterns from which to choose. Taking the steps to familiarize yourself with the attributes of vintage pieces will let you build a collection of authentic Cambridge glass.
Step 1
Know the most frequent targets for reproduction. Because of its popularity, there are reproductions of Cambridge glassware in the marketplace. Lady flower frogs have been widely reproduced. Also, be especially cautious if you collect the Caprice pattern, as it was widely reproduced. Reproductions are of lesser quality, so familiarize yourself with vintage Caprice glassware so you can recognize it and differentiate it from the fakes.
Step 2
Recognize the Cambridge maker's marks. Examine your glass carefully and look for a manufacturer's mark. Vintage Cambridge pieces produced after 1920 are marked with a C inside a triangle. Earlier pieces have the "Near Cut" mark.
Step 3
Find your pattern. Look at collectors' guides that feature different patterns of Cambridge glass and see if your pieces matches any of the patterns. Because patterns can be copied, a match doesn't guarantee you have a vintage piece. However, this step will allow you to eliminate poor reproductions where the "faked" pattern doesn't quite duplicate that of the original. While you may not find guidebooks dealing specifically with Cambridge glass, look for books about American glassware that will have a section on the Cambridge company. You can also look for pictures of authentic Cambridge glass on the Web site of a china and crystal replacement service.
Step 4
Study old Cambridge catalogs. Reproductions of Cambridge glass often have slight differences in construction from vintage glass or are pieces that were never originally produced in a specific pattern (such as producing a goblet for a pattern where that piece was not originally manufactured). Look at reprints of original Cambridge glass catalogs to see the exact forms of the various glassware and which pieces were offered in each pattern. Compare your pieces to what is shown in the catalogs.
Step 5
Consult Cambridge collectors. If you still are not sure whether your have a vintage piece of Cambridge, try networking with other glass enthusiasts. People who have experience collecting Cambridge glass are a valuable resource for information on vintage pieces. Join an organization such as National Cambridge Collectors, Inc., to find other collectors and get the latest information on which Cambridge glassware is being reproduced and sold as vintage.
Step 1
Know the most frequent targets for reproduction. Because of its popularity, there are reproductions of Cambridge glassware in the marketplace. Lady flower frogs have been widely reproduced. Also, be especially cautious if you collect the Caprice pattern, as it was widely reproduced. Reproductions are of lesser quality, so familiarize yourself with vintage Caprice glassware so you can recognize it and differentiate it from the fakes.
Step 2
Recognize the Cambridge maker's marks. Examine your glass carefully and look for a manufacturer's mark. Vintage Cambridge pieces produced after 1920 are marked with a C inside a triangle. Earlier pieces have the "Near Cut" mark.
Step 3
Find your pattern. Look at collectors' guides that feature different patterns of Cambridge glass and see if your pieces matches any of the patterns. Because patterns can be copied, a match doesn't guarantee you have a vintage piece. However, this step will allow you to eliminate poor reproductions where the "faked" pattern doesn't quite duplicate that of the original. While you may not find guidebooks dealing specifically with Cambridge glass, look for books about American glassware that will have a section on the Cambridge company. You can also look for pictures of authentic Cambridge glass on the Web site of a china and crystal replacement service.
Step 4
Study old Cambridge catalogs. Reproductions of Cambridge glass often have slight differences in construction from vintage glass or are pieces that were never originally produced in a specific pattern (such as producing a goblet for a pattern where that piece was not originally manufactured). Look at reprints of original Cambridge glass catalogs to see the exact forms of the various glassware and which pieces were offered in each pattern. Compare your pieces to what is shown in the catalogs.
Step 5
Consult Cambridge collectors. If you still are not sure whether your have a vintage piece of Cambridge, try networking with other glass enthusiasts. People who have experience collecting Cambridge glass are a valuable resource for information on vintage pieces. Join an organization such as National Cambridge Collectors, Inc., to find other collectors and get the latest information on which Cambridge glassware is being reproduced and sold as vintage.
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