Patterns - Toy Dishes
by Ruth Forsythe
Issue #8, December 1973
TOY DISHES
Santa Claus is coming to town. Let's hope he brings you (and me) some
toy dishes. That is Cambridge toy dishes of the 1909 era.
Pictured are COLONIAL, FERNLAND and Nos. 2697 and 2660. Not
pictured, but very desirable is the tiny punch set in the INVERTED
STRAWBERRY pattern.
The COLONIAL toy set is made up of vertical panels and quite plain except for the tiny beading at the top of all pieces except the butter dish. They were made in clear, royal blue and a yellow green. Royal blue appears to be the most difficult to find. The creamer is 2 ¼" high.
FERNLAND has for the principal motif, a snowflake. On the sides are two touching diamonds filled with tiny diamond point decoration. There is a fan shaped decoration at the lower corners of each frame. Like COLONIAL, there is the beading at the top of all pieces except the butter dish. Also, like COLONIAL, it came in clear, Royal Blue and Yellow Green.
#2697 has a whirling star as the motif. However, the covered butter has only deep slashed from left to right on both the domed lid and the base. The pattern was advertised as extra heavy Near Cut. So far, found only in clear.
#2660- Punch set only and in clear only. There is and arched band across the top of the punch bowl, filled with tiny hexagons. There is a star figure at the lower end of the arches. The pattern which fills the lower part of the punch bowl is of a very complex design.
Remember, these sets were played with by children. A few small flakes should be acceptable.
Both COLONIAL and FERNLAND are pictured on the jacket of a recent book "Patterns and Pinafores" by Marion T. Hartung and Ione E. Hinshaw. Rumor, and a very reliable rumor, is there is another book by a Columbus author, soon to be released. The purpose of this information is to open our eyes to the fact that miniatures are going strong and have farther to travel.
There are small sugar and creamers in other patterns, bit they tend to be individual sets and not toys. If anyone knows of complete sets in these other patterns, please let us hear from you. We need all the co-operation we can get in learning as much as possible about not only toy sets, but all Cambridge Glass. This is what our club is all about, sharing information and learning all we can- together.
Merry Christmas