These three patterns, each with multiple decoration variants, are similar and can be confusing so we will group posts about them and about the Cremax color together for you.
Introduction and Photos
MacBeth Evans made several patterns in opaque to slightly translucent creamy or white glass, including the beloved American Sweetheart, Petalware, and the three patterns here, Chinex Classic, Cremax and Oxford. They referred to the creamy color as Cremax regardless of pattern, and also called one pattern Cremax. Confusing, no? Let’s look at the three patterns.
First is Chinex Classic. The “Classic” here refers to the scroll decoration by the rim. You might see Chinex Classic Bouquet with a big flower decal in the center, or plain or trimmed, or with a castle decal. Also sometimes MacBeth Evans used a darker shade of glass, which they called Ivex in this pattern (Ivrene in other patterns.) Look for the rim design to decide which pattern you have.
Cremax lacks the scroll and has a pie crust edge that is wider and frillier than Chinex Classic. It too is usually found with decorations and in shades of cream to white glass. Both of these next plates are Cremax.
Oxford might be the least popular and least well known of these three. It also has a pie crust edge but the inside design is tailored narrow ribs. The first photo shows the edge which is what makes the pattern and the second shows the full piece with the Bouquet decal.
MacBeth Evans made a fourth pattern, Sheffield, which they referred to as a new pattern in “the famous Chinex dinnerware”. Hazel Marie Weatherman included a MacBeth Evans 1939 brochure that showed Sheffield and I found a picture of a plate on Replacements.com. I doubt they did much with this design.
Posts about Chinex Classic, Cremax and Oxford Patterns
Those Confusing Cremax Patterns – Three Tips to Tell Them Apart
Posts about Cremax as a Color
White Depression Glass from MacBeth Evans – Monax, Cremax and Ivrene
A Different Shade of White – Cremax Ivrene Depression Glass