Cambridge Flower Blocks

By Robert Robinson
July 2003 - Issue #363

Over the years, I have derived much pleasure from collecting Cambridge Flower Blocks (or holders). It began because they were relatively inexpensive, available, small, easily packed and transported and very pretty.

My collection consists (so far) of 36 Cambridge flower blocks in assorted sizes and colors, plus about ten duplicates. I also have about a dozen non-Cambridge flower holders.

Six of my non-Cambridge flower holders are of interest because I thought they were by Cambridge at first. These blocks are about 4.5" in diameter, relatively flat on top, have a lip around the edge and bear three more-or-less triangular feet. The identifying distinction I soon discovered was that the Cambridge feet are pyramid-shaped, with a pointed tip, whereas the non-Cambridge blocks have feet that are somewhat flattened at the tip. These six blocks are crystal and light green (a color very much like Cambridge's Light Emerald). I don't know who may have made them, but my research and observations have convinced me they are not by Cambridge.

The general characteristics I have observed in Cambridge Flower Blocks are as follows:

• There are two basic shapes seen in the round flower blocks: one with a lip and one without. About 70% of mine have the lip. See Figure 1.
• The shape of the top can vary greatly, from almost flat to a very pronounced dome. This is understandable, given the way these blocks were suspended upside-down during manufacture. Mark Nye wrote a very informative article about this process in Crystal Ball #251.
• Those with feet (about 80% of mine) always have three pyramid-shaped feet, evenly spaced around the botom edge.
• The area around the holes on the bottom is almost always chipped. Most of this was caused by the way they were made (see Mark Nye's article in Crystal Ball #251). Some of the roughness, including frequent chipped feet, has surely been caused by wear and tear.
• About eight in ten blocks will have a patent date molded into the side of the base. The date appears to be always the same. See figure 2.
• Four blocks in my collection do not have a patent date; instead they show the name "Cambridge" molded in the base as shown in figure 3.
• On most blocks (about 80% of my collection), the size is molded onto the base, opposite the patent date or Cambridge mark. This writing is often very faint, as if the molds were almost worn out. In a few cases, only a small fragment of the size is visible. Even in such cases, I can rely on the patent date, feet and color to identify Cambridge flower blocks.
• I have round flower blocks in seven sizes:
  • 6 inches
  • 5 inches
  • 4 inches
  • 3 1/2 inches
  • 3 inches
  • 2 5/8 inches
  • 2 1/4 inches
• The great majority of my flower blocks are round; there are other shapes. I have oval blocks in peach- blo and light emerald. I have a semi-circular block in crystal. The semi-circle is unmarked, but it has three rectangular feet, and appears to match the illustration in a Cambridge Catalog reprint.
• I own flower blocks in eight colors, plus crystal. I assume other colors must exist, so I keep on looking. The colors I have are light emerald, ebony, peach-blo, amber, mocha, moonlight blue, gold krystal, amethyst and frosted crystal.

I have discovered Cambridge flower blocks everywhere and anywhere. Often, they lurk in dark, dingy corners. Sometimes they wait in buckets or boxes full of miscellaneous "junk". I think one of the highlights of my collection is the 6" crystal block I found in a Howard Street Shop (Baltimore). I may soon have a marriage of 4" blocks, since I've heard this block in moonlight blue is in Adamstown, PA. I wonder...

I hope this has been of some interest and assistance to those of you who are, or may become interested in, Cambridge Flower Blocks.

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