I was recently asked the question “what book should I use to learn about Steuben?”

Let me try my hand at answering this. There are several important books that are currently available.

I would start with The Glass of Frederick Carder by Paul V. Gardner. Paul Gardner was Carder’s assistant. He went on to be Curator-in Charge of the Division of Ceramics and Glass at the Smithsonian Institute. His book besides explaining Carder’s many creations, includes the line drawings for 7,000 shapes Carder created; an indispensable tool for identifying Mr. Carder’s glass. ($75.00)

Next, on my list is Frederick Carder and Steuben Glass assembled by Thomas P. Dimitroff. This is likewise an indispensable text. It provides the next step of education after building the basics in Gardner’s book. It includes a broad addition of color photographs of objects from the Rockwell collection and many more reference materials. ($125.00)

Then comes Frederick Carder’s Steuben Glass, Guide to Shapes, Numbers, Colors, Finishes, and Values by Marshall Ketchum. This text takes the line drawings from the Gardner book and provides a cross check background on where various shapes are found in other major texts, pricing of pieces that have appeared in eBay and major auctions. This cross referencing takes the next step in identification of Carder pieces and pricing. ($29.95)

All three of these texts are produced by Schiffer Publishing and are currently available at most major book stores, or Amazon.com and can be found on eBay under Steuben listings.

Another text is Frederick Carder: Portrait of a Glassmaker by Paul V. Gardner. A well photographed paperback produced by Corning Museum of Glass. ($9.95) This and all the above can be purchased by going to the Corning Museum’s web site and then to their Glass Market. Members of the Carder Steuben Club can get a 15% discount.

Another text currently available is the text Objects of Desire, The Art of Frederick Carder by Alan Shovers. This book is a companion to an exhibit of Carder’s work at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science. This book can be acquired from its publisher, the Evansville Museum by going to emuseum.org and then going to the “Begley Museum Shop” and clicking on “Museum Books”. ($30.00) This text is also available on Amazon.com, new and used.

Then come a number other out of print texts that are available as used texts. Most can be found at amazon.com and then under books typing in “Frederick Carder”. Also, these periodically show up on eBay and other similar sources. Each of these texts are, in my opinion, worthy and instructive texts.

They are Frederick Carder, and his Steuben Glass 1903-1933 by Bob Rockwell. This is a 33 paper back of colored pictures of a substantial number of pieces of Carder’s works.

The Collector’s Encyclopedia of American Art Glass by John A. Shuman III. This text covers much American Glass, with a great deal of emphasis and background on Carder’s glass.

Another text similar to Schuman’s text is Art Glass Nouveau by Ray and Lee Grover.

Another good text is American Art Nouveau Glass by Albert Christian Revi.

Then a two volume paper back set which is based in large part with interviews with Carder is A Guide to Colored Steuben Glass 1903-1933 by Eric E. Ericson.

Finally, on my list of texts with major background and learning experience about Mr. Carder’s glass would be the paper back Carder’s Steuben Glass by John F. Hotchkiss.

Of course, there are many other texts that provide additional information. A more encompassing bibliography can be found on the Carder Steuben Club’s website. Cardersteubenclub.com

Any opinions expressed by participants to the Gazette are the opinions of the authors and are not endorsed by or the opinions of the Carder Steuben Club