"Yukon" Decoration
by Phyllis Smith
Issue No. 139 - November 1984
In trying to study and research Cambridge glass, I sometimes feel as if I am working a puzzle and someone has taken the last piece. Piece by piece, it eventually all seems to fit together, but there are times when it is a bit of a struggle!
One more piece of the picture was added to our puzzle by Neil and
Etta Unger when they sent us this photo of the #1402/50 74 oz. Tally-Ho
tankard and the #3132 tall sherbet and goblet - all displaying the
"Yukon" decoration.
Until December 1980 we had never heard of the Yukon decoration. It
was at that time
Doris Isaacs wrote an article for the CRYSTAL BALL
(Issue #92) that included four photos of five small pieces of Cambridge
Glass, all with this Yukon decoration. Her article included the "proof"
that this decoration was definitely produced by Cambridge and that the
name "Yukon" was correct, because one of the pieces she owned contained
not only the 
trademark on the bottom, but it also had a
factory stock label which bore the name "Yukon." She stated that in the
August 1935 issue of China, Glass and Lamps there appeared a picture
and article that very clearly described this new "frosted bands
decoration" as being available in crystal and colors.
Very little is known about the #3112 stem line. It was first pictured in the CRYSTAL BALL (January 1977, Issue 45) in an article by Jack and Sue Rettig entitled "Touch of History." The picture was taken from an old trade journal dated June 1935 and the goblet contained not the Yukon decoration, but the equally hard to find "Ye Olde Ivy" etching.
Since this stem line is not shown in the 1930-34 Catalog Reprint, we must assume that it was not introduced until 1935. Since it does not appear in the 1940s catalog, it was evidently used for only a very short period of time. (A catalog page from the 1935-37 time period has been found that depicts the #3112 stem line, but it is a Xerox copy and the quality is too poor to reprint. However, it does give us proof that it was produced by Cambridge and give us its line number.)
This Yukon Decoration has also been seen on the #1402/100 Tally-Ho stem line. A photo in the July 1934 issue of China, Glass & Lamps featured a table setting which included this #1402/100 stem line, decorated "Yukon" on both crystal and colored bowls. The decoration has been seen on forest green, Carmen, royal blue and crystal bowls in this stem line. It would seem reasonable to expect that it may be found in other Cambridge colors as well.
Items shown in the article by Doris Isaacs included a #1327 1 oz. cordial and the #925 After Dinner coffee set on a tray; the small square #616 cigarette box and the #3500/126 4" Gadroon ashtray. In addition to these items we have also seen a Gadroon sugar. If any of our readers have additional items with this Yukon decoration, please let us hear from you.
Because of the lack of catalog information covering the late 1920s, the time between 1935-40 and the mid 1940s ... we still need to find a large number of the "lost" pieces for our Cambridge puzzle. With proper research and a great deal of luck, we should continue to find, "an old factory stock label here - a picture in an old trade journal there," and little by little we will continue adding pieces that will eventually complete the entire Cambridge puzzle!!