On the subject of the color red we have two engineers-chemists from Corning, Incorporated weighing in. First, is retiree, Jim Sutterfield.
I’m a little late in reading the Gazettes but allow me to add $.03 worth on the red perfume. I have a 6″ version purchased this summer. I think it is Steuben , but I believe it is a clear blank flashed in red. This may also bring in the Corning connection because this was done in lenses for lighting applications. It allowed 1 lens to be made in several colors without the cost of multiple melts. A check of the stopper shows a very light coating of red. I will bring the perfume to the seminar if desired.
In reading Rande’s write up on strike -in, remember most Steuben compositions were high lead with a relatively low softening point. I believe 600 degrees C would exceed the lead glass softening point. Probably ok for soda/lime compositions.

Then from Greg Merkel a research fellow at Corning, Incorporated. Greg has had access to Mr. Carder’s color formulas and will be presented on Saturday morning October 3 at our Symposium. His Subject will focus on Carder’s Iridescent Glassware: History, Science, Technology and Nomenclature.
“What’s in a name? That which we call Selenium Ruby
By any other name would be as red.”

In Carder’s laboratory notebooks, there are many selenium red glass compositions which also span a remarkable variety of names, including Selenium Ruby, Cerise Ruby, and Cardinal Red to name about half of them. Changes were made to the amounts of colorants as well as to the composition of the base glass. In a number of instances, the same glass composition is referred to by different names in different notebooks. Regarding Cardinal Red, since it has been the subject of recent discussion, this name was applied to a wide range of selenium ruby compositions. In some cases, the compositions are identical to those which, elsewhere, are listed as Cerise Ruby, and in other entries the two are different. Therefore, I would say that, at this time at least, there is perhaps no useful purpose served in trying to identify a piece of Cardinal Red based only upon its color without additional information as to its chemical composition.

This discussion on reds has been quite illuminating. While lengthy, I hope it has been helpful to the readers. Carder had over 140 colors he developed. However, there are many names applied to many colors and many collectors have discussed and debated the nuances of color. While some colors are pretty clear as to what they are, many aren’t such as “Cardinal Red”. Therefore, looking forward to Greg’s discussion at the Symposium, as it may well open up a great deal of the mystery and background about the information available in the Carder notebooks and formulas at Corning, Incorporated.