At last week’s Symposium the Market at CMoG shared various books and publications that were
available for purchase related to Carder Steuben. One of those items was Journal of Glass
Studies, Vol. 49 * 2007. In it is an article by Jane Shadel Spillman entitled Frederick Carder’s Journal of His 1902 Visit to Germany, Bohemia and Austria. The final section (p. 250-252) comes from Mr. Carder’s report in Stourbridge on his 1903 visit to America and why the American glass industry is gradually wrestling preeminence from Stourbridge glass companies. From Mr. Carder’s comparative experience in Stourbridge and having visited glass factories in Europe and America, his reflections might be as apt today as then, when he says:

The masters in this district (Stourbridge) are too conservative, and never within my recollection have I known a German or any other foreigner allowed to work in the glass houses; but in America they welcome all nationalities, and bring to the test all the different methods of work employed by the varying races, and the American adopts the best and rejects the worst.

In our last e-mail letter we quoted Mr. Carder in 1903 addressing
America’s growing success in the glass industry because it was a successful
melting pot; and criticizing the Stourbridge glass industry for not being open.
Only one person replied, That was Dick Stark of Bethesda, MD. He questioned
the Carder statement noting that amongst others that Frenchmen Barbe
and Erard and a German Kretchman worked at Stourbridge and are mentioned in
the history books. Interesting