Patterns - Inverted Strawberry
by Ruth
Forsythe
Issue #3, July 1973
The strawberry, a delicious heart-shaped berry which grows
both as a wild plant and a cultivated plant. One of the earliest fruits
in the garden.
A small plant which grows close to the ground and
belongs to the rose family. Most fruits have their seeds protected on
the inside. The strawberry is the only fruit I can think of that has
seeds on the outside of the fruit.
The small indentations for the tiny dry yellow seeds are captured in the INVERTED STRAWBERRY pattern, giving the strawberry in the pattern a sparkling, shimmering, delighted effect.
INVERTED STRAWBERRY is a very realistic pattern with leaves on the stems in groups of three, small five petal flowers and strawberries strewn around the piece.
INVERTED STRAWBERRY is an old pattern and has been a favorite of collectors for years; many of whom did not know Cambridge made the pattern. They have collected it only because it is beautiful. Also, because of the many collectors, the pattern is becoming very difficult to find.
One of the Cambridge Glass Company's greats, made in many pieces such as various sizes of bowls, pitchers, tumblers, fruit or berry sets, butter dishes, spooners, celeries, cake plates, miniature punch sets, etc. Usually found in clear. I have seen pieces in emerald green, emerald green with gold and carnival. Not all pieces are marked, but many are marked NEAR CUT.
INVERTED STRAWBERRY Has been reproduced and yet it has not been reproduced. This statement does not seem to make sense, but as in most reproductions, a new mold was made of the pattern. Also, very few pieces have been made. Actually, the only ones are the tumbler and the toothpick holder. A water pitcher in a size that was never made by Cambridge in the first place in this particular pattern, a basket and a candy dish which were never made originally by Cambridge in the Inverted Strawberry pattern. These new pieces do bear the NEAR CUT mark.
In the new Inverted Strawberry, the Strawberry and flower are coarser and there are no mold marks on the pieces. Remember!!! The Cambridge INVERTED STRAWBERRY had definite mold marks.
Please bear in mind, many antiques and collectibles have been copied and for this reason the copy is never quite like the original. Almost all of the old molds have either been destroyed, sold for scrap or worn out. STUDY THE OLD AND YOU CAN READILY RECOGNIZE THE NEW.