Treasures in your attic: Crown Tuscan shades vary widely

Q. I would like to know about this pink glass piece with a nude woman holding up a bowl. There are no markings, and the piece is in perfect condition with no chips or cracks. The piece is 8 by 7 inches, and when the light hits it, there is a lot of fire in the glass.

A. This very distinctive piece of glass is called a “nude stem compote,” and was made by the Cambridge Glass Company of Cambridge, Ohio.

The pale pink color identifies this item as being from the company’s extensive “Crown Tuscan” line.

The Cambridge Glass Company was founded at the turn of the last century, and during the first two decades of its existence made only clear colorless glass. Most of these items were tableware such as stemware, and matching accessories such as candlesticks, ashtrays, cake plates, mayonnaise containers, serving bowls and the like.

Cambridge was famous for its designs such as “Rose Point” (a favorite with many collectors), “Imperial Hunt Scene,” “Portia” and “Gloria.” In the 1920s, Cambridge added a whole new dimension to its lines when it introduced colored glass.

The list of these colors is very long, and includes several shades of green, blue, and purple, plus an unusual multicolored ware called “Rubina,” which shades from red to green to medium blue. One of the most popular colors was “Crown Tuscan,” which was introduced in September 1932 and manufactured until the factory closed in 1958.

There is a lot of variation in Crown Tuscan pink. Some of it is described as “being near-flesh color,” but examples can be found that are almost tan, or in some cases almost white (to be sure, a “pinkish” white and a “pinkish” tan). The pieces can be nearly translucent or they can be opaque.

In addition, some examples of Crown Tuscan are streaked with tan, pink and near-white to give an almost slag-glass effect. Most pieces, however, are the pleasant shade of fleshy pink seen on the example in today’s question.

Crown Tuscan can be found decorated with gold designs such as “Rose Point,” or colorfully enameled. Often the enamel painting is in a floral pattern called “Charleton,” which was not done in the Cambridge factory, but by Abels, Wasserman & Co. of New York City.

Occasionally, a piece of Crown Tuscan can be found marked with either a paper label or the letter “C” inside a triangle embossed into the base. These marked pieces are the exception rather than the rule.

Crown Tuscan was made in a variety of wonderful shapes such as large covered urns, swans and a shell-shaped bowl with a nude figure placed at the end like a ship’s figurehead. And besides various styles of nude stem compotes similar to yours, there are also nude stem candlesticks and cigarette boxes, among others.

Crown Tuscan nude stem pieces are of interest to collectors, but unfortunately, like so many other types of glass, the value has fallen over the past few years. Still, this charming nude stem Cambridge Crown Tuscan compote should be valued in the $250 to $300 range for insurance purposes.

But buyer beware! There are reproductions of this glass.

Ÿ Contact Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson at Treasures in Your Attic, P.O. Box 18350, Knoxville, TN 37928.