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By: Joe Solitio

Let me start with what Cambridge Nude collectors generally consider part of their collection.

The List

These are the targets of our affection.

Color of nudes- Crystal on all items

Crystal Frosted-1937 to 1940 these are found on the Drinking Vessels. We can only be sure as which ones as we find examples

Black-Cocktail is the only known. When Imperial had the Cambridge Molds, they also made this. Some feel you can tell them apart. You Can't and Most Cambridge collectors don't care, as it was a Cambridge Mold.

Amber- Cocktail is only known. Imperial made these as Cambridge never did. Collectors still want these. Priced at around $95.

Crown Tuscan-Cocktail only known drinking vessel. The above represents the color of the nude when the bowl is of a different color.

Solid Color Pieces

Crystal - all pieces

Crystal Frost-Flying Nude Bowl

Crown Tuscan-Flying Nude Bowl, Candles,I vy Ball, Low Cigarette Box, Ashtray, Small Shell Comport, Tall Flared Comport. There may be more, but these I have seen.

Windsor Blue-Flying Nude Bowl, Candles, Large Shell Comport, Maybe more, but these I have seen.

Emerald-Large Shell Comport

Mandarin Gold-Large Shell Comport

Moonlight Blue- Small Shell Comport(this discovered 18 months ago). Flying Nude Bowl.

Carmen, Royal Blue, Amethyst, Amber, Forest Green.-Flying Nude Bowl.

Consider this list a starting point on the color of nudes and solid color pieces. On this we all learn together.

Bowl Colors-If Cambridge made a color,i t may be found in a nude perhaps with the exception of some of the early opaques. In addition there is what is refered to as an odd green in the Cocktail.Perhaps an Imperial product but we can not rule Cambridge out. Since color or combinations of color play such an important part in value, correct color identification is crucial. There are some very close colors. An example is Forest Green and Emerald. The Tall Comport is often listed as Emerald when every known example is Forest Green.

Etchings-Many patterns are found on the Nudes, but not all. While usually all crystal nudes were used, Etching on a color, as well as Gold Encrusting exist.

Decoration- Treatments- Crackle, Silver Overlay and while not a treatment Cuttings exist.

Rare-A too frequently abused term. Very desirable (as all Nudes are desirable) is a term that to me means even an advanced collector of Nudes would stop and look.

What makes a nude very desirable can be a single element or a combination of elements.

The nude itself-True Cordials (not Brandys) are very desirable.They are difficult to find.

Color-Heatherbloom makes an item immediately very desirable. Cambridge produced this Beautiful lavender color for a very short period.

Combinations of elements-Royal Blue while a fabulous color is desirable as a brandy, cocktail, champagne and as a findable color will top the price scale on findable colors. It will also top the price scale on hard to find items like the cordial. We don't believe a heatherbloom Cordial was ever made but that combination would go off the Richter scale. Add an etch to that and we need Fort Knox.

As you can see it takes the right combination but sometimes the right combination is only the combination of different desirable elements.For Example, The Cocktail in Crown Tuscan nude and foot with the colored bowls of Mandarin Gold or Gold Krystol (not Topaz-color mis ID) are desirable.Amber, Forest Green etc as the color of the bowl-very desirable. This is because they were made for what appears to be a short period in the 1930's. So the right combination of desirables makes a very desirable.

I recommend,the book Colors in Cambridge Glass available in the MegaShow Bookstore. It explains the colors and how to tell them apart as well as production periods. It is a Hard Bound Book .

Take what I have written as a guide. It should give you a foundation from which to collect and understand Cambridge Nudes.I would love to hear from other Cambridge Nude Collectors and add to my knowledge and understanding of these Beauties.

Joe Solito

solito@ix.netcom.com

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