Defining the Cambridge Gyro Optic Tilt Ball Pitcher
Jim Retzloff
Issue No. 462 - October 2012
Let me take this opportunity to introduce myself.
My name is Jim Retzloff and I collect Spiral Optic,
Depression Era, glass patterns and Spiral Optic
decorated glass items. My collection includes samples
from over 50 different companies. My Cambridge
pieces represent the Gyro Optic, Twisted Optic and
Spiral Optic patterns.
"Gyro Optic" was Cambridge's name for their 3143 Line. Pictured at left are the 3143/19 Candy Box and Cover, and, the 3143/39 Ball Pitcher with a 3143/50 Tumbler. It is interesting to note, in later years, that the term "Gyro Optic" was also used to describe the swirl decoration of other items, such as, pitchers and tumblers of the 3900 Corinth Line.
Cambridge's "Twisted Optic" Pattern included beverage sets with a Line 1206 Pitcher (at left, below) or a Line 107 Pitcher (at right, below) and Line 1206 Tumblers, all molded with a threaded spiral optic design.
Cambridge has over many years produced a large
number of "spiral optic" pieces. The 410 and 411 Fan
Vases, and, the 730 Candy Jar are typical examples (shown in a photo a few
paragraphs below).
I would like to discuss one item in particular with the
members of National Cambridge Collectors, Inc., the
Gyro Optic Tilt Ball Pitcher. I'm especially interested
in the transition of this pitcher from the 3143 Line
to an item in the 3900 Corinth Line. To quote Mark
Nye from Part V of his article on Cambridge jugs:
"The #3900/116 jug represents the final use of the ball shape design which was first introduced in 1930-31. Neither of the #3900/116 jugs, optic or gyro optic, are "new" in that they very closely resemble earlier jugs. An optic #3400/38 80 oz. ball jug was shown by Cambridge in 1933 and the original Gyro Optic line, including jugs, was introduced in 1938."
As Mark suggests, it may have been Cambridge's intention not to create something new, but, their Sales Department royally goofed in the execution. It appears there was major mix up in the catalog illustrations which has caused great confusion in identifying the Optic and Gyro Optic patterns ever since.
At left is the illustration of the 3400/38 Tilted Ball
Pitcher as shown on page 110 from Cambridge Glass
1930 -1934. Note with the Optic Pattern, the ribs
meet the neck of the pitcher at a right angle. The
ribs are parallel to the plane of the handle.
Shown at right is the illustration of the 3143/38 Tilted Ball
Pitcher as shown on page 84 of Welker's Cambridge
Glass catalog reprints. Note with the Gyro Optic
Pattern, the ribs meet the neck of the pitcher at an
acute angle. The ribs pass through the plane of the
handle.
I assume the above illustrations are correct and properly define the Optic and Gyro Optic Patterns. Now let's review what occurred when the 3900 Corinth Line was introduced.
The illustration at left is from page 40d of Cambridge Glass
1949-1953.
Note the ribs of the pattern met the
neck of the pitcher at an acute angle and pass through
the plane of the handle. This illustration of the
3900/118 Ball Pitcher is incorrectly labeled "Optic." It
does not agree with earlier illustrations of the Optic
pattern. It is Gyro Optic.
A second illustration (at right) from page 40d of Cambridge Glass 1949-1953 is labeled 3900/118 Gyro Optic. Note the ribs are right angles to the neck of the pitcher and they are parallel to the plane of the handle. As defined in earlier catalogs, this pitcher is Optic, not Gyro Optic.
As you can see, the catalog illustrations for the Optic
and Gyro Optic patterns in the Corinth Line have
been reversed and are incorrect. This has caused
collectors, dealers and authors using the Corinth
catalog sheets as a reference to misidentify these
patterns. Here is an example of the confusion: The
photo at left is from Colors in Cambridge Glass, page 93.
It is identified as Optic. The pattern is actually Gyro
Optic.
The Miami Valley Study has also published the Corinth 3900 Line catalog illustrations without noting the errors. You may or not agree with my essay on defining the Gyro Optic Tilt Ball Pitcher, but, this final photo (at right) is of a Line 3900 Corinth Gyro Optic Tilt Ball Pitcher with Tumbler from a beverage set as sold by Cambridge Glass. This is the pattern as marketed and not as illustrated in the catalog.
Whatever you call it, it is beautiful.