Tuesday, January 31, 2012

We start out following yesterday’s discussion of fake signatures:

1. Beth Shaut of the Carder Steuben Shop in Corning, New York comments on signatures:

We say here just because it’s signed doesn’t make it Steuben. So many pieces in the Carder Era were not signed. Gail is correct in saying to evaluate the piece and if it is Steuben it is an added bonus to have a signature.

2. Next, Stephen Gleissner, Senior Curator at the Wichita Museum comments first on fakes and then transitions to the question of whether the Club should be open to include post Carder Steuben in its mission:

1. This is interesting because at the last antique show in Wichita (KS) there was a two-color cut Bohemian vase (not quite as new as this one) with the Steuben fleur-de-lis on the side near the base.

2. I vote for a comprehensive history of Steuben as the Club mission.

3. : It’s obvious that our members have varying feelings about adding Modern Steuben Collectors to the Club. We want to share these responses and welcome more. So, the Gazette will be publishing the many comments we’ve received over the coming days.

We’ll start with Carder collector’s Jeanette & Dwight Little of Lincolnton, North Carolina

Both Jeannette and I would support the inclusion of the modern collectors into our club.

Dwight and Jeannette Little

4.And then, on the other hand we have Sam Kissée of Chico, California who says:

I am a collector of Carder Steuben, not Modern Steuben. I think if a group wants to devote a organization to this area of collecting, they should start their own club.

An example of this is when the National Early American Glass Club decided to change their name to The National American Glass Club. What happened was collectors of early glass decided to form their own club, which became The Early American Pattern Glass Society.

Do I buy Modern Steuben? Yes, but then I turn around an resell it and buy Carder Steuben with the money. I think the only thing Modern Steuben has in common with Carder Steuben is the name Steuben.

Regards,

Samuel D. Kissée

Chico, California

5. Jane Shadel Spillman, Curator of American Glass at the Corning Museum counters with:

Having just read the question about whether or not the Club should embrace Modern Steuben, I’d vote to do so. Yes, it’s very different from Carder Steuben, But it was the same company, with the same glassworkers, and the same emphasis on quality, so, although I don’t’ think there will be as much interest in Modern Steuben as a collectible for a decade or so, it will come, and it would confusing and off-putting for beginning collectors to find that the two types of Steuben aren’t considered together in any way. We should welcome then into the fold!

So that’s only an opinion, but you asked for opinions.

Jane

Jane Shadel Spillman

www.cardersteubenclub.org

Any opinions expressed by participants to the Gazette e-mail newsletters are the opinions of the authors and are not endorsed by or the opinions of the Carder Steuben Club.

2012 Carder Steuben Club annual Symposium will be held at The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY from September 20-22, 2012.