We started our Symposium this year with a trip to Alfred University. The University possesses an impressive archive of Paul V. Gardner’s materials from the time when he served as Frederick Carder’s assistant (1929–1943), and also houses a fine collection of Carder Steuben glass.  Director Dr. William LaCourse, Distinguished Professor of Glass, Emeritus, met with us and shared information on the archival material as well as unwrapping some of the glass.  Dr. LaCourse also gave a tour of the area proposed to be the Paul Vickers Gardner Glass Center which had some interesting pieces on display.  About 20 members made the trip and I believe everyone was pleasantly surprised with the warm welcome and the amount information that was shared.

We had a great time watching selected pieces of glass from the collection be unwrapped!  There were many stunning examples in many different colors and forms.  The group helped to identify some of the pieces while we watched.

The Alfred team gave a demonstration of some of the fabulous properties of glass, including a Prince Rupert’s drop.  Prince Rupert’s drops are tempered glass beads created by dripping molten glass into cold water, which causes it to solidify into a tadpole-shaped droplet with a long, thin tail.  Due to the fast cooling the exterior of the drop is tightly compressed, making it unbelievably strong.  However, if you can bend the skinny tail it will shatter into a fine glass powder.  We participated in the demo and had a lot of fun.

It appears that there may be future collaboration between the CSGA, Alfred University, and CMoG to digitize more Alfred archives and help the Paul Vickers Gardner Glass Center come to fruition.  We hope to be able to help make their vision for The Paul Vickers Glass Center a reality.