TYRIAN, By Bob Mueller

Tyrian was a masterful type of glass that Mr. Carder created at Steuben Glass. In most of Mr. Carder’s glass the colors were constant. However, Tyrian Glass is hear reactive and changes its character by the amount of heat and number of times it’s reheated.

As a result the Tyrian collector is most fortunate to have in their collection and unique piece of glass for which they can say “This is a one of a kind” and be correct. Mr. Carder must agree with this for he usually marked the bottom of his Tyrian creations “Tyrian”. Also, many of the Tyrian pieces had unique shapes limited solely for Tyrian.

I believe if you placed all the pieces of Tyrian side by side we could not agree that two pieces even look a little like another piece.

Tyrian starts out as a pale green glass, and as it is reheated the color of this glass changes and will keep changing in color the more it is reheated. This coloration process alone makes all pieces one of a kind.

You may then ask the question, aren’t Diatreta, Intarsia, Cire Perdue also one of a kind? I agree; but will then respond, “have you ever noticed the colors on all of them stay the same throughout the whole process of making that piece”?

That is where I see the difference in these four types of Mr. Carder’s glass.

Tyrian had a short history at Steuben Glass from 1916-1917. During this the leaf and vine decoration and Intarsia border would be worked into the glass as the piece was being finished.

This opaque glass of Mr. Carder’s did have one shortcoming and that was like Mandarin Yellow and Rouge Flambé, this glass was very temperamental and could easily break.

When I look at the photos of Tyrian Glass and see great difference in colors, decorations, the iridescent sheen applied to the piece, I just admire Mr. Carder for his great ability to have such a great imagination to produce great works like his Tyrian.

Bob Mueller
Osseo, MN

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