The Cambridge Swans - Part II
by Les Hansen
Issue 315 - July 1999
In the first of a series of articles on Cambridge swans, the three
"types" of swans were discussed. This article will focus on the colors
of swans produced by Cambridge. All six sizes (3 in., 4 ½ in., 6
½ in., 8 ½ in., 10 in., 13 in.) of Type I swans were
produced in Crystal, Light Emerald, Peachblo (or Dianthus pink), and
Ebony. Just two of the sizes, the 8 ½ in. and the 10 in. were
produced in four additional colors -- Amber, Gold Krystol, Forest
Green, and Crown Tuscan -- in the Type I swans, which had full feather
detail. 
These last four colors of swans were probably not produced
until after the 1933 change from Type I to Type II for the 3 in. swans.
This is because none of these four colors were produced in type I for
the 3 in. size, but all four colors were produced in Type II for the 3
in. size. Therefore, the total number of different size and color
combinations for Type I swans is 32. This total doesn't include swans
that were decorated after coming out of the molds, which will be
reviewed in the next article of this series.
Type II swans have some feather detail and were made in only three sizes (3 in., 8 ½ in. and 16 in.). The 3 in. Type II swans were made in all of the colors of Type I swans -- Crystal, Light Emerald, Peachblo (or Dianthus pink), Ebony, Amber, Gold Krystol. Forest Green, and Crown Tuscan -- plus the two additional colors of Carmen and Royal Blue. The 8 ½ in. Type II swan was probably made in only Crystal and Moonlight, and the 16 in. punch bowl Type 2 swan was almost certainly made in Crystal only. Thus, a total of 13 different size and color combinations for Type II Swans can be found, again excluding decorations.
At this point, it would probably be wise to discuss the topic of Amber versus Mocha swans. It is quite obvious that the 3 in. (Type II), 8 ½ in. and 10 in. (both Type I) swans were produced in two fairly distinct intensities of Amber: a light amber and a dark amber. Some collectors refer to the light amber swans as being Mocha. The problem with this designation is that Mocha was not introduced until 1938, and the mold for the 8 ½ in. swan was altered from Type I to Type II in 1937. Furthermore, I am unaware of any company materials (price lists, catalogs, or promotional materials) that indicate that Mocha swans were produced. I suspect that all of the amber-colored swans were considered to be Amber by Cambridge and were simply produced in two intensities of Amber. This would be consistent with a wide range of colors for Peachblo (or Dianthus Pink) swans, which have a broad range of tones and intensities ranging from almost orange, to a true pink, and on to a deep, brownish pink. Whether or not to distinguish between these alternative tones and intensities of Amber and Peschblo swans is up to the individual swan collector. Personally, for the reasons presented here, I don't distinguish between them.
The molds for all sizes of swans were altered in 1939, or soon thereafter to remove all feather detail and to produce the Type III swans. Initially, at least, Type III swans were produced in only Crystal and Crown Tuscan. This is because the other colors for Type III swans were not introduced by Cambridge until much later -- Mandarin Gold and Late Dark Emerald in 1949, Carmen (reintroduced) in 1950, Milk in 1954, and Smoke in 1955 or 1956. Type III swans were made in all seven of the sizes, and all of the sizes were produced in Crystal. Apparently, the 10 in. and 13 in. sizes were produced in Crystal only. Crown Tuscan Type III swans were made in only the 3 in. and 8 ½ in. sizes. However, Mandarin Gold and Late Dark Emerald swans were made in three sizes (3 in., 6 ½ in. and 8 ½ in.), Carmen Type III swans were produced in these same three sizes plus the 16 in. punch bowl. Milk swans were produced only during the first half of 1954; however. surprisingly. they were made in five sizes -- all but the 10 in. and 13 in. Cambridge made swans during the reopen years (1955-58), including a small number of 3 in. swans in Smoke. Hence, the combinations of size and color for Type III swans (undecorated) total 25.
Mention should be made of suspected Heatherbloom swans. The consensus among swan collectors, as well as most dealers of Cambridge glass, is that Cambridge didn't make Heathlerbloonl swans. All swans that might appear to be Heatherbloom are probably sun-colored Crystal. Furthermore, some collectors have coined the names of "Amberina," "Tangerine," and "Heatherpink" as colors for Cambridge swans. As far as I know, Cambridge didn't officially produce any of those colors. The "Amberina" color almost certainty is simply Carmen with yellow streaks, often in the neck and feet of swans (especially for the 3 in. Type II). The "Tangerine" color name was coined for 3 in. Type III swans that are almost solid red-orange; one of these swans was on display in the former NCC museum. The so-called "Heatherpink" swans have a very faint lavender/pink cast and seem to be found in only the 3 in. and 6 ½ in. sizes of Type I swans. "Tangerine" and "Heatherpink" could hove been experimental or special order colors. A more probable explanations for these colors might be that "Tangerine" resulted from a "bad" batch of Carmen and "Heatherpink" resulted from a "bad" batch of Crystal.
We are now up to 70 different combinations of type, size, and color for Cambridge swans! Of these, 32 are Type I, 13 are Type II, and 25 are Type III. (This total doesn't include those swans that some collectors have designated as Mocha, Heatherbloom, "Amberina," "Tangerine," or Heatherpink.") Also, reported sightings abound of single swans in type, size, and color combinations that were not supposedly produced by Cambridge. Typically. these renegade loners (if they, in fact, exist) have been in the 6 ½ in. and 8 ½ in. sizes. I have provided in this article only those colors of swans that have been confirmed as produced by Cambridge in multiples. We have yet to review the many decorations that were placed on Cambridge swans, as well as swans that were specially designed as candlesticks, flower pots, or covered candy dishes. These swans will be discussed in the next article of this series. If you have information that will be helpful in documenting the production of additional colors of Cambridge swans, feel free to contact me.
Crystal
Light Emerald
Peachblo/Dianthus pink
Ebony
8 ½", 10"
Crystal
Light Emerald
Peachblo/Dianthus pink
Amber (light & dark)
Gold Krystol
Forest Green
Crown Tuscan
Crystal
Light Emerald
Peachblo/Dianthus pink
Amber (light & dark)
Gold Krystol
Forest Green
Crown Tuscan
Ebony
Carmen
Royal Blue
8 ½"
Crystal
Moonlight
16" Punch Bowl
Crystal
Crystal
Crown Tuscan
Mandarin Gold
Late Dark Emerald
Carmen
Milk
Smoke
4 ½"
Crystal
Milk
6 ½"
Crystal
Mandarin Gold
Late Dark Emerald
Carmen
Milk
Crystal
Crown Tuscan
Mandarin Gold
Late Dark Emerald
Carmen
Milk
10"
Crystal
16" Punch bowl
Crystal
Carmen
Milk