Cambridge Glass

Last updated
Cambridge Glass Company
TypeCorporation
IndustryGlass manufacturer
Founded1873
Headquarters,
USA
Key people
Arthur J. Bennett, President
Wilber L. Orme, Vice President
K.C. Kelley, Factory Superintendent

Cambridge Glass was a manufacturer of glassware formed in 1873 in Cambridge, Ohio. The company produced a range of coloured glassware in the 1920s, initially with opaque shades, but moving on to transparent shades by the end of the decade. Unable to compete with mass-produced glassware, the company closed briefly in 1954, but was reopened in 1955. However, financial difficulties persisted, and, after several ownership changes, the factory closed for good in 1958. Imperial Glass Company purchased the Cambridge Glass molds two years later, and would use them for another three decades until that company went bankrupt in 1984.

Contents

Early history

The Cambridge Glass Company was chartered in 1873 by a group of Cambridge, Ohio businessmen. But it was not until 1899, when the site was purchased by the newly formed National Glass Company, that funds became available to start the construction of this new glass factory.

In 1901, The Cambridge Glass Company was organized by Myron Case, Casey Morris, Addison Thompson, Andy Herron and Fred Rosemond, who were owners of the National Glass Company of Pennsylvania. [1]

Under Arthur J. Bennett's Leadership

During construction of the plant, Arthur J. Bennett, a native of England, was hired to manage this new factory. Having experience in the china and glass trades, Mr. Bennett proved to be an excellent choice for the position. He was funded to come to America by his father who was a plumber in England. (Nicole Orme) The first piece of glass, a three pint pitcher, was produced in May 1902. [2]

A variety of heavy pressed patterns were produced during the next five years. Many of the patterns were of Mr. Bennett's own design. Sometime around 1903-1904 the company's first trademark came into being, the words "Near Cut" pressed into the glass.

Cambridge Glass soon became known worldwide for quality in both "crystal and colors, pressed and blown." [3]

In 1907, the National Glass Company experienced financial problems that ended in receivership for the company. By supplementing his life savings with local bank financing, Mr. Bennett was able to raise the necessary $500,000 to purchase the Cambridge Glass Company in its entirety.

The company continued to prosper under his ownership, and in 1910 was expanded to include an additional plant at nearby Byesville, Ohio – under the name of The Byesville Glass and Lamp Co. Many of the deep plate etched patterns were introduced during this time period, some of which were Marjorie and Betty, named after members of Mr. Bennett's family.

Through these early years, the company operated its own coal mines and consumed 50 tons daily producing raw gas to fire its melting pots. It also used natural gas produced from its own wells. The abundant supply of natural resources had been one of the main reasons for locating this factory in Ohio.

During 1916, things slowed quite a bit, and in 1917 it was decided to close the factory in Byesville and transfer those operations back to the Cambridge plant.

The 1920s were years of expansion and heralded a new trademark - the letter "C" enclosed within a triangle. Mr. Bennett decided to introduce a variety of opaque colored items into their line. With as many as 700 employees working three shifts a day, very strong lines of colored ware and complete dinner services were added to the production from the 56 pots of glass being used. [4] [5] Figural shapes became popular in the occasional pieces. The company was also producing a complete line of pharmaceutical items. It was said, "If it will sell, Cambridge will produce it."

The 1930s were perhaps the most prolific years of Cambridge development, with the new colors (Carmen, Royal Blue, Crown Tuscan and Heatherbloom), and new patterns, (#3400 line, Caprice line, Statuesque stem line, Rose Point etching) being developed.

Leadership change

During the peak of the Cambridge Glass Company, Mr. Bennett served as president of the company, his son-in-law, Wilber L. Orme was vice president; Mrs. Bennett as director; William C. McCartney as secretary; G. Roy Boyd as treasurer and K.C. Kelley as factory superintendent.

In July 1939, Mr. Bennett sold the controlling interest of the company to his son-in-law, Wilber L. Orme, who continued to develop designs and colors. However, Mr. Bennett continued as president until his death in February 1940. [6]

In 1950, the Cambridge Square pattern won top honors across the United States for its modern design. In the early 1950s the demand for fine handmade glassware began to decrease, and the competition of foreign and machine-made glass began taking its toll.

In 1954, Mr. Orme decided to close the plant, ending one of the best and most prosperous glass companies the world has ever known.

Cambridge Colors

Color played a significant role in the success of Cambridge Glass Co. They produced opaque glass and then moved onto transparent colors. The opaque shades were produced in early 1920s with colors such as helio, jade, primrose, azurite and ebony. In the latter of the 1920s there was a shift to transparent colors in light colors. In the 1930s, the company moved to darker colors such as forest, amethyst and royal blue. Towards the end of the 1930s, most of the lines made were done in crystal. One of the darker colors they started to use was the amethyst which they invented and patented (reliable source the granddaughter.) [7]

Sidney Albert, Imperial Glass

Shortly after closing in 1954, the company was sold to a firm headed by Sidney Albert of Akron, Ohio. The plant reopened in March 1955. Sales were very poor, and in 1956 Morrison Industries Ltd. of Boston, Massachusetts, acquired possession. Sales continued to be slow and with management problems. The company closed its doors for the final time in 1958.

In November 1960, Imperial Glass Company of Bellaire, Ohio, acquired the Cambridge molds and equipment.

1984 saw Imperial forced into bankruptcy. At this time the National Cambridge Collectors purchased many of the molds, all of the etching/decorating plates and other assets of Cambridge Glass from Imperial. These items are now located on the museum grounds. The N.C.C., due to a lack of funds and miscommunication, could not purchase all of the molds. Some are now owned by other glass companies.

Demolition of factory

The Cambridge Glass factory building was demolished in 1989 when the owners decided the factory had deteriorated beyond repair. All the buildings were razed.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire-King</span> Brand of heat-resistant glassware manufactured by Anchor Hocking

Fire-King is an Anchor Hocking brand of glassware similar to Pyrex. It was formerly made of low expansion borosilicate glass and ideal for oven use. Currently it is made of tempered soda-lime-silicate glass in the US and borosilicate in Japan

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uranium glass</span> Glass colored with uranium oxide

Uranium glass is glass which has had uranium, usually in oxide diuranate form, added to a glass mix before melting for colouration. The proportion usually varies from trace levels to about 2% uranium by weight, although some 20th-century pieces were made with up to 25% uranium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hazel-Atlas Glass Company</span> Former American glassware manufacturer

The Hazel-Atlas Glass Company was a large producer of machine-molded glass containers headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was founded in 1902 in Washington, Pennsylvania, as the merger of four companies:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnival glass</span> Type of glass

Carnival glass is moulded or pressed glass to which an iridescent surface shimmer has been applied. It has previously been referred to as aurora glass, dope glass, rainbow glass, taffeta glass, and disparagingly as 'poor man's Tiffany'. The name Carnival glass was adopted by collectors in the 1950s as items of it were sometimes given as prizes at carnivals, fetes, and fairgrounds. However, evidence suggests that the vast majority of it was purchased by households to brighten homes at a time when only the well-off could afford bright electric lighting, as its finish catches the light even in dark corners. From the beginning of the 20th century, carnival glass was mass-produced around the world, but largely and initially in the U.S. It reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s, though it is still produced in small quantities today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Depression glass</span> American and Canadian pressed glassware made in the 1930s

Depression glass is glassware made in the period 1929–1939, often clear or colored translucent machine-made glassware that was distributed free, or at low cost, in the United States and Canada around the time of the Great Depression. Depression glass is so called because collectors generally associate mass-produced glassware in pink, yellow, crystal, green, and blue with the Great Depression in America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heisey Glass Company</span> Defunct American glassware company

The A.H. Heisey Company was formed in Newark, Ohio, in 1895 by A.H. Heisey. The factory provided fine quality glass tableware and decorative glass figurines. Both pressed and blown glassware were made in a wide variety of patterns and colors. The company also made glass automobile headlights and Holophane Glassware lighting fixtures. The company was operated by Heisey and his sons until 1957, when the factory closed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fenton Art Glass Company</span> Glass manufacturer

The Fenton Art Glass Company is a glass manufacturer founded in 1905 by brothers Frank L. Fenton and John W. Fenton.

The Westmoreland Glass Company was a company that produced glass in Grapeville, Pennsylvania.

The Fostoria Glass Company was a manufacturer of pressed, blown and hand-molded glassware and tableware. It began operations in Fostoria, Ohio, on December 15, 1887, on land donated by the townspeople. The new company was formed by men from West Virginia who were experienced in the glassmaking business. They started their company in northwest Ohio to take advantage of newly discovered natural gas that was an ideal fuel for glassmaking. Numerous other businesses were also started in the area, and collectively they depleted the natural gas supply. Fuel shortages caused the company to move to Moundsville, West Virginia, in 1891.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sneath Glass Company</span> American manufacturer of glass and glassware

The Sneath Glass Company was an American manufacturer of glass and glassware. After a brief 1890s startup in Tiffin, Ohio, the company moved to Hartford City, Indiana, to take advantage of the Indiana Gas Boom. The small city was enjoying the benefits of the boom, and could provide natural gas as an energy source for manufacturers. Sneath Glass was one of many glass manufacturers that moved to the region, and became Hartford City's second largest employer.

Belmont Glass Company, also known as the Belmont Glass Works, was one of Ohio's early glassmaking companies. It was named after Belmont County, Ohio, where the plant was located. The firm began operations in 1866 in a riverfront village along the east side of the county, which is known as Bellaire. At that time, the community had resource advantages that made it an attractive site for glassmaking. Bellaire's location at the intersection of the Ohio River, the National Road, and two railroads meant it had an excellent transportation infrastructure. Fuel necessary for the glassmaking process was also readily available, since Belmont County was part of the eastern Ohio coal region. Bellaire also had a workforce with glassmaking expertise located less than five miles away, since glass had been produced in Wheeling, West Virginia, since the 1820s.

The United States Glass Company was a trust formed by the combination of numerous glass companies. The factories were located from western Pennsylvania to Indiana.

The Macbeth-Evans Glass Company was an American glass company that created "almost every kind of glass for illuminating, industrial and scientific purposes," but is today famous for making depression glass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elegant glass</span>

Elegant glass is high quality glassware created in the United States during the Depression Era. It was sold for high prices in department stores and given as wedding gifts. Although part of the Depression Era, it is considered by most to be a separate category or sub category of Depression glass. When new, Elegant glass would cost more than standard Depression glass, because it was at least partially handmade, had a cleaner finish, and more vibrant colors. From the 1920s through the 1950s, Elegant glass was an alternative to fine china. Most of the Elegant glassware manufacturers closed by the end of the 1950s, and cheap glassware and imported china took its place.

Early American molded glass refers to glass functional and decorative objects, such as bottles and dishware, that were manufactured in the United States in the 19th century. The objects were produced by blowing molten glass into a mold, thereby causing the glass to assume the shape and pattern design of the mold. When a plunger rather than blowing is used, as became usual later, the glass is technically called pressed glass. Common blown molded tableware items bearing designs include salt dishes, sugar bowls, creamers, celery stands, decanters, and drinking glasses.

Helio (Cambridge Glass) is a type of glassware produced by Cambridge Glass, beginning in 1923. The color of Helio has been described as part of the purple family and has been compared to the color lavender. It also falls into the category of opaque glass, but the color changes depend on the light source. The variation of purple differs between pieces, but the color is consistent within the piece itself.

Jadeite, “Jadite” or “Jade-ite” is a type of jade green opaque milk glass, originally popular in the United States in the early to mid-20th century. A blue milk glass called “Delphite” and "Azur-ite" was also produced for several years.

J. H. Hobbs, Brockunier and Company was one of the largest and best known manufacturers of glass in the United States during the 19th century. Its products were distributed world–wide. The company is responsible for one of the greatest innovations in American glassmaking—an improved formula for lime glass that enabled American glass makers to produce high-quality glass at a lower cost. The firm also developed talented glassmakers that started glass factories in Ohio and Indiana.

Indiana Glass Company was an American company that manufactured pressed, blown and hand-molded glassware and tableware for almost 100 years. Predecessors to the company began operations in Dunkirk, Indiana, in 1896 and 1904, when East Central Indiana experienced the Indiana gas boom. The company started in 1907, when a group of investors led by Frank W. Merry formed a company to buy the Dunkirk glass plant that belonged to the bankrupt National Glass Company. National Glass was a trust for glass tableware that originally owned 19 glass factories including the plant in Dunkirk. National Glass went bankrupt in 1907, and its assets were sold in late 1908.

The Lancaster Glass Company was a producer of manufactured glassware in Lancaster, Ohio that ran from 1908 to 1937. They are a producer of depression glass and were known as an early innovator of color in depression-era glassware.

References

  1. "Cambridge Glass History".
  2. Bennett, Harold and Judy (1970). The Cambridge Glass Book. Des Moines, IA: Wallace Homestead Book Co. p. 7.
  3. Bennett, Harold and Judy (1970). The Cambridge Glass Book. Des Moines, IA: Wallace Homestead Book Co. p. 8.
  4. "Cambridge Glass History".
  5. Bennett, Harold and Judy (1970). The Cambridge Glass Book. Des Moines, IA: Wallace Homestead Book Co. p. 8.
  6. Colors in Cambridge Glass II. Paducah, Kentucky: Collectors Books. 2007. p. 5.
  7. Colors in Cambridge Glass II. Paducah, Kentucky: Collectors Books. 2007. p. 5.