Daffodil
by Mark Nye
Issue No. 289 - May 1997
During
September and October 1950, W.F. Guegold engraved several sample
etchings for Cambridge. Prints of four such etchings, taken from the
original etching plate, are shown with this article. Of the four, only
one seems to have entered the Cambridge line as a production etching,
that being what we know today as Daffodil. The flower head as shown in
the etching is true to life while the "stem" and the balance of the
etching hardly resemble the daffodil plant and its leaves.
The
first trade journal reference to the etching Daffodil appeared in
January 1952. Quoting from the advertisement published in both Crockery
& Glass Journal and China, Glass And Decorative Accessories:
"Featured This Spring in Leading Magazines - Daffodil... newest of fine
Cambridge Etchings. Daffodil is crystal in its most elegant form. It is
a new, fresh design aglow with brilliant light. And the graceful shapes
make Daffodil especially appealing for fine table settings. Daffodil is
among the royal family of Cambridge etchings nationally advertised to
help you sell." (AIso featured in this same advertisement was the Rock
Crystal engraving Lynbrook.) No further mention of the Daffodil etching
has been found in trade journal advertisements.
The first known Cambridge price list to include Daffodil is dated February 2, 1953, and bears the title "REVISED PRICE LIST FOR ETCHED GLASSWARE." Indications are a supplemental page to the 1950 price list covering Daffodil was issued, probably early in 1952. However, a copy of this page has not been found even though one for Magnolia brought out a year later, in early 1953, does exist. For the benefit of Daffodil collectors, that listing is provided with this article. All evidence indicates that Daffodil was placed solely on Crystal blanks
| 3779 | Tall Goblet | p. 253 | Individual Sugar & Cream |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3779 | Tall Sherbet | p. 254 | Sugar & Cream |
| 3779 | Low Goblet | p. 293 | 6 OZ. Oil, stopper, pol. in. |
| 3779 | Low Sherbet | p. 306 | 6 in. Candy Box & Cover, Cut Knob |
| 3779 | Cocktail | p. 360 | Salt & Pepper, chrome top |
| 3779 | Wine | p. 384 | 11 in. Oval Bowl |
| 3779 | Oyster Cocktail | p. 430 | 12 in. Bowl, belled |
| 3779 | Claret | p. 532 | 6 in. Tall Comport |
| 3779 | Ftd. Ice Tea | p. 533 | 5-1/2 in. Comport |
| 3779 | 5 OZ. Ftd. Tumbler | p. 533/445 | 2 pc. Mayonnaise Set |
| 3779 | Cordial | p.553 | 3 pc. Mayonnaise Set |
| 1170 | Square Saucer and Round Cup | p. 1491 | 4 pc. Twin Salad Dressing Set |
| 1174 | 6 in. Bread 8` Butter Plate | p. 1495 | 11-1/2 in.2 Hdl. Cake Plate |
| 1176 | 8-1/2 in. Salad Plate, Square | p. 54 | 6-1/2 in. Hdl. Low Ftd. Comport |
| 3400/141 | 76 OZ. Jug | p. 55 | 6 in. 2 Hdl. Low Ftd. Basket |
| 3400/1180 | 5-1/4 in. Bonbon, 2 Hdl. | p. 56 | 8 in. 2 Hdl. Low Ftd. Plate |
| 1497 | 6 in. 2 part Relish | p. 166 | 13-1/2 in. Cabaret Plate, r.e. |
| 3400/1181 | 6 in. 2 Hdl. Bonbon Plate | p. 214 | 10 in. 3 part Relish |
| 1498 | 8 in. 3 part Relish | p. 248 | 11 in. Celery |
| 3900/19 | 2 pc. Mayonnaise Set | 1532 | 3 pc. Mayonnaise Set |
| 3900/72 | 6 in. 2 lite Candlestick | 278 | 11 in. Vase, Ftd. |
| 628 | 3-1 /2 in. Candlestick | 6004 | 8 in. Ftd. Vase |
Prices
ranged from $24.00 a dozen for the stemware to $93.00 a dozen for the
76 OZ. jug. (Per piece the price was $2.00 each for stemware and $7.75
for the jug.) Note the absence of a dinner plate in the listing. As far
as it is known, none was ever made. The 1170 square saucer originally
came from the 3400 line as did the 1174 bread and butter and the 1176
salad plate and not from the Cambridge Square line.
A new price list for the complete Cambridge line was issued in October 1953. The Daffodil listing remained the same except for the addition of the 3900/37 sugar and cream tray. There was a price increase; stemware was now selling for $27.00 a dozen and the 3400/141 jug was up to $102.00 per dozen or $8.50 each.
Production of Daffodil was not resumed when the reorganized Cambridge Glass Co. began producing glass in the spring of 1955. The March and October 1956 price lists issued by the new company had an "INACTIVE LISTING." "To further improve our service to our customers, we have inaugurated another CAMBRIDGE GLASS first by providing inactive listings. This means to you that you can assure your customers that they will always be able to obtain replacements for their fine CAMBRIDGE glassware patterns. In the regular course of business we shall accumulate your replacement orders over a period of time so that we may ship such orders at least twice a year. We shall be glad to quote you prices on inactive listings upon request. However, in view of the increased cost of producing small quantities of glass, you may reasonably expect prices of inactive patterns to run 20% to 25% higher than on similar active items. Please remember that inactive DOES NOT MEAN discontinued." included in the available "inactive patterns" was 3779 stemware etched Daffodil. This was the last mention of the Daffodil etching. The 1958 price list had no reference to Inactive Listings or Daffodil.
The original Cambridge Glass Co. did issue catalog pages (supplements to the 1949 catalog) that illustrated Daffodil. These are contained in the 1949-53 Cambridge Catalog as reprinted by Crystal Ball Article One of those pages is shown below.
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