A design was cut into the glass with only the aid of guide lines by pressing the glassware against a turning stone wheel. After the cutting was complete, the article cut was termed a "gray cutting". It was then acid polished to produce the brilliant surface known as Rock Crystal.

Cutting was done with rapidly revolving copper wheels of different sizes. Skilled workmen followed designs which were placed before them or previously stenciled onto the glass. When the piece came from the cutting room, the cuttings were "gray". Then they may have been polished by buffing wheels. Copper wheel engravings were earlier than Rock Crystal Engravings.

These early cuttings were used prior to 1925.

Some etchings in this album have multiple images representing diverse elements within the total etching. The most widely used Cambridge glass etchings are in this album and sorted by name.

Some etchings in this album have multiple images representing diverse elements within the total etching. The etchings in this album are sorted by the Cambridge plate etching number.

The images in this albums were taken from the Cambridge Glass etching plates. There is no confirmed etching name or number for these etchings. A unique number has been assigned for reference purposes.

This family of etchings was used mostly on cruets, bath jars and decanters.

These etchings were used mostly for advertising purposes by individual groups or companies. A few were used to denote a commemorative event.

The needle etching process was an early etching method used before the DPE (deep plate etching) process which was utilized for the etchings contained in the other albums in this category.