Punch Bowls and Sets 1940-1958, Part II
by Mark A.
Nye
Issue No. 134 - June 1984
The Mount Vernon punch bowl received very little coverage in the 1940 price list. It received a single entry under "Punch Bowls, Cups and Ladles," and was not even shown in the catalog.
It was listed as Mount Vernon #48, 11" footed punch bowl with a capacity of only 3 quarts, produced in crystal. No punch cup was listed nor was a Mount Vernon punch set. Presumably, one was to purchase the regular cup and saucer and use this cup if matching cups were desired. No listing for this bowl is found in the 1949 or later catalogs and price lists. The Mount Vernon line predated 1940 and you may find this bowl in color.
From the Tally-Ho line, two punch bowls were being made in 1940 (both are shown in the Catalog page at the end of this article). They were the #1402/64 and the #1402/77. The former, also listed as a 10 ½" low footed bowl, holds 4 quarts when used as a punch bowl. In addition to serving as a punch bowl, this piece was no doubt intended to be an all purpose large bowl. It is of interest to note that in the Tally-Ho section of the 1940 price list, the bowl is listed in crystal only, while under punch bowls, color availability is given as crystal, amber and royal blue.
Under "Punch Sets," the #1402/64 bowl is combined with the Tally-Ho #1402/29 plate, 12 #1402/10 cocktails and the Pristine punch ladle. Once again we find an inconsistency. In the regular Tally-Ho listings, the cocktail is said to be made in crystal, royal blue and carmen, while under "Punch Sets" amber is given as an available color. Perhaps at this time, amber cocktails were only being made to go with the punch sets. (Note that a full line of amber Tally-Ho stemware was made during the 1930s.) In addition to amber, the punch set was also listed in crystal and royal blue. You will find this set in carmen, but these predate 1940.
While not listed under Elaine as the punch bowl, the #1402/64 bowl was, in 1940, made in crystal etched Elaine. The #1402/29 plate and the #1402/140 5 oz. handled cup were also etched Elaine (crystal only) and hence, there is no reason why an Elaine etched #1402/64 Tally-Ho punch set could not or was not assembled.
The #1402/77 punch bowl is the larger of the two Tally-Ho punch bowls, measuring 13" in diameter and holding 6 quarts. It was made in crystal, amber, forest green, royal blue and Carmen, as was the #1402/29 plate and the #1402/78 punch cup. However, during 1940, the #1402/111 ladle was made in just two colors, crystal and carmen. Fifteen piece punch sets were available in any of the previously listed colors and were made up of the items just listed. Crystal ladles were used for all sets except for those in carmen and then a carmen ladle was used. A second fifteen piece set, also using the #1402/77 bowl and the #1402/29 plate was available and these incorporated the #1402/78 punch mug. The 5 oz. cup was made in crystal or crystal with amber, royal blue, forest green or carmen handles.
Before we depart from the Tally-Ho line, one more inconsistency must be pointed out. In the 1940 price list, two different descriptions were given for the item numbered #1402/78, 6 oz. punch cup and 6 oz. punch mug. The mug description appears under the regular Tally-Ho listings while the cup description is the one used in the Punch Bowl section. The actual catalog page showing the punch set shows the mug. There is, however, a #1402/78 footed punch cup, identical in appearance to the footed coffee cup, shown in the NCC 1930-34 Catalog Reprint.
The Tally-Ho line, including the punch bowls, was discontinued before 1949. The #1402/77 bowl and the #1402/140 cup were apparently revived during 1953 since they appear on the October 1953 price list. Listed with the bowl and cups was a styrene ladle, one of the two listings found for this type of ladle. The set must not have sold for the bowl was reworked into a mold for another punch bowl.
Unique among Cambridge punch bowls is the #1800. It is unique in that it is a covered bowl. The #1800 punch bowl is ball shaped and was listed as a 10" bowl holding 9 quarts (See the illustration in the Catalog page at the end of this article). While the punch cup listed and shown with the set is numbered #1800, they are in fact from the #7801 line. The underplate used with this bowl is the Pristine #169 18" plate and the ladle is the Pristine ladle. No mention of this bowl is found in the 1949 or later catalogs and price lists. Production in 1940 was limited to crystal.
From the catalog illustration, the #1800 bowl appears to be somewhat similar in appearance to the Gyro Optic pattern. However, the Gyro Optic line number is #3143 and nowhere in the 1940 price list is there a bowl of this nature listed under Gyro Optic. It is possible this bowl may originally have been introduced before 1940, and if so, it is possible it was made in color.
To be continued ...
