The Beginning of the Changing of the Guard

Excerpts from pp. 62-65 of Steuben Glass, An American Tradition in Crystal by Mary Jean Madigan.
“On September 23, 1929, a fourth generation member of the Houghton glassmaking family, fresh from Harvard came to Corning Glass Works as an assistant timekeeper in ‘A’ factory. He was Arthur Amory Houghton, Jr., a scholarly twenty-three-year old who loved old books and would soon become responsible for the future of Steuben.”
“Carder persisted on his own independent path, ignoring the requests of Corning management to institute better production and sales controls.”
“Steuben’s dilemma was summarized in a memorandum written in 1931 by Corning executive R.C. Vaughn to Amory Houghton, the young president of Corning Glass Works.”… “Vaughn reiterated the shortcomings of Carder’s administration. He pointed out that it was impossible for the same salespersons to promote effectively all of the drastically different types of merchandise then being produced by Steuben-everything from lighting fixtures and architectural glass panels to ‘art glass,’ tabewares, vases and bowls.”
“Possibly as a result of the report, in February 1932, the Steuben Division offices were moved several blocks from their Erie Avenue location to ‘B’ factory…”
“At the same time, Frederick Carder’s title was changed to that of art director of Corning Glass Works. His office studio was moved to the top floor of building 21, near the Corning Glass Works’ administrative offices and away from the blowing room floor. John Mackay, a Corning Glass Works employee formerly situated in the company’s New York offices, was brought in to be manager of the Steuben Division with responsibility for both production and sales.”
“Having founded Steuben and managed it with relatively free hand for nearly thirty years,
Carder was understandably embittered by his loss of control. Although he continued in a pro forma sense to advise on the design of Steuben’s new products, his involvement with their cut and engraved designs was virtually over. He spent most of his time working on his own projects-primarily sculpture created by the lost-was method-and on architectural glass, which was sold for a time under the Steuben trademark. He was assisted during these years by Paul Gardner, who tells the complete story in his definitive biography of Carder.”
“Following a few months of correspondence in late 1931, Amory Houghton appointed the well-known industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague as design consultant to Corning and Steuben under a one-year contract commencing in February 1932. From his Madison Avenue offices in New York City, Teague was to work out a series of new ‘modern’ designs for Steuben table-ware, visiting the Corning plant monthly to supervise production. Teague made it clear that he did ‘not expect to have any modifications made in my designs except with my approval’ and that he could not ‘share responsibility for my own work with anyone else.
“as Steuben Division plant manager during 1932 John Mackay did his best to turn the unprofitable business around. … His reorganization plan involved cutting the active production line to a few best=selling numbers, closing out the rest at bargain prices, cutting costs of manufacture, and presenting a trendy new line of Walter Dorwin Teague’s designs ‘shich will be a Knockout… He also recognized the importance of a well-labeled product, and ordered that ‘every piece of glass leave Corning be marked with the word “Steuben.””
“Teague, meanwhile, embarked on the design of a line of ‘extremely simple’ crystal cut with geometric motifs. About thirty-two of his patterns were incorporated into the last Steuben Division catalogue, published in 1932.”
“Despite his astute reading of the potential market for Steuben glass, Teague was apparently not retained as a design consultant beyond the expiration of his first year’s contract…Walter Dorwin Teague is not mentioned in company records after 1932, nor is Steuben listed among Teague’s industrial design clients in his biography….”