Punch Bowls and Sets 1940-58, Part IV
by Mark A. Nye
Issue No. 136 - August 1984
The Cascade line was introduced sometime between January 1945 and
December 1947. A patent application for the line was filed in January
1945 and was issued the following April. 
However, an advertisement in
the December 1947 issue of Crockery and Glass Journal carried
the banner "Cascade - fascinating new glassware design by Cambridge."
To further quote from the same source, " ... May be seen in
January." The Cascade line, including the punch bowl, was carried in
the 1949 Cambridge line and appeared in all subsequent Cambridge
catalogs and price lists.
The Cascade punch bowl measures 15" in diameter, holds ten quarts and is not footed. A base was available separately and it was simply the #216 8" ashtray, inverted. The underplate to the set is huge, measuring 21" in diameter and has a rolled edge. Even though other sets still included a glass ladle, the June 1949 catalog stated a chrome ladle was included in the Cascade punch set, along with 12 Cascade 5 oz. punch cups. (Why do punch sets always have 12 cups?) It is doubtful the set was ever produced in any color except crystal.
Al components of the Cascade punch set remained in the Cambridge line at least through 1956. The 1958 price list failed to include the underplate and base.
Cambridge introduced it's #3797 or Cambridge Square line in late
1951. Exactly when the Cambridge Square #476 11½" punch bowl was
first issued is not known. It is not shown in the 1949-54 catalog but
does appear on the October 1953 price list. As are all of the Cambridge
Square line bowls, the punch bowl is actually round with a square
shaped pedestal foot.
There is no underplate for the bowl and the punch
cup is actually the #3797/15 tea cup. This cup has a hook handle and
the cups could be hung on the bowl rim. This cup is very similar to, if
not identical with, the Pristine #15 6 oz., punch cup.
The punch set consists of the bowl and 12 cups. If one wished a ladle, it had to be purchased separately. In the 1953 price list, under Cambridge Square and immediately following the punch set listing, were 2 punch ladles; the chrome ladle at $18 a dozen and a styrene ladle at $9 a dozen. Apparently the styrene ladle did not prove to be a popular item for it does not appear in price lists from the reopen period. The Cambridge Square punch set, however, was retained in the Cambridge line until the final plant closing.
In the fall of 1953, Cambridge issued a new price list. Shortly thereafter, the Caprice listing was revised and an updated page of the price list was issued, replacing the original issue. It is on this revised 1953 Caprice price list we find the only catalog or price list reference to the #478 Caprice punch bowl.
Described as a 15" footed punch bowl holding five quarts, it was not in production long enough to be shown in a Cambridge catalog. I was fortunate to see one several years ago and it is best described as a large version of the Caprice #105 mayonnaise bowl without the handles.
In a previous article in this series, I stated the Tally-Ho #1402/77 punch bowl mold had been reworked into a mold for another punch bowl. It was the Caprice punch bowl mold that was made from the old Tally Ho mold, the rework taking place in late 1953 or early 1954. Indications are the punch bowl was not yet available when it appeared in the October 1953 price list.
It is doubtful the Caprice #15 6 oz. punch cup with open handle was ever made since the document showing the rework of the Tally-Ho mold also indicated the order for the punch cup mold had been cancelled. It is possible the regular Caprice cup was used as a substitute or perhaps the Pristine #15 cup might have been used to make up a Caprice punch set. The punch set, as listed on the one price list, did not include an underplate, but did include a chrome ladle.
Moonlight Blue was no longer in production by the fall of 1953 and Caprice was listed as being made in crystal only. Hence, it is extremely doubtful the Caprice punch bowl was ever made in any color except crystal. Due to their scarcity, it would appear there were not a large number made, even in crystal.
Jenny Lind was a late pattern and it is in this line we find the
last of the punch bowls from the 1940-58 period. The 1956-58 Catalog
pictured the Jenny Lind punch set, but no other items from this line
are shown. The March 1956 price list makes no mention of Jenny Lind and
the only items from the line in the October 1956 price list are the
punch bowl and cups. This listing was added to the last page of the
price list rather than to the page listing the other available punch
sets. Eight pieces of Jenny Lind are included in the 1958 price list,
but the punch bowl and cup are not included.
As shown in the 1956-58 Catalog, the punch set consisted of a bowl and the usual 12 cups. No dimensions or capacities are provided in the catalog or price list and it is difficult to judge just how large the bowl might be.
Thus, we come to the end of our punch bowl collection. If one did have the space for such a collection, would it be possible to assemble this collection? My answer is, I seriously think not. For all the years punch bowls were made (production was not limited to the years covered in this series of articles) very few are seen in present times. With the possible exception of the Tally-Ho #1402/77 bowl, the appearance today of any punch bowl is newsworthy and commands the attention of serious Cambridge enthusiasts. Still, we can dream!
EDITOR'S NOTE: We have just recently heard that a punch set in the Martha line has been found - etched Rosepoint! The set consists of the bowl, underplate, 24 cups and a ladle. Everything except the ladle is etched. If this exciting find doesn't give you a goose bump or two - I can't imagine what would! As Mark says, "We can dream." If one set has been found, perhaps another will turn up soon, just when you least expect it.