This is a rare set of five Cambridge Glass Company pink cordial glasses in Etch #740 on Stem #3050, made in the USA and dating to 1929. Etch #740 was one of Cambridge's early decorative etches from the late 1920s and was featured on Cambridge stemware in a 1929 trade publication. National Cambridge Collectors describes #740 as a "seldom seen etching," making this group especially compelling for the Cambridge or American Elegant Glass collector who has been searching for an example that simply doesn't come to market very often.
Each cordial is blown and hand-finished, with the optic bowl formed in a mold and the stem and foot finished while the glass was hot before the decorative etching was applied. This hand-finishing accounts for the subtle variations in foot diameter among the five glasses and is part of the character of period Cambridge stemware.
Under 365nm UV light, the pink glass exhibits a striking pink/coral fluorescence, a response often associated by collectors with selenium-containing glass. The glass composition has not been laboratory tested; please see the UV photograph.
Finding five matching Etch #740 pink cordials together, particularly in this exceptional condition, presents a special opportunity for a Cambridge collector.
Approx. Size: 4" H each; set of 5
CONDITION: Exceptional antique condition for this seldom-seen set of five 1929 Cambridge cordials. All five are free of chips, cloudiness, and dishwasher wear, with the delicate Etch #740 decoration beautifully preserved. Subtle differences in foot/base diameter are consistent with hand-finished manufacturing variation rather than damage. Please review the photographs closely for the individual characteristics of each nearly century-old glass.
