Back in the year 2000, there was a beautiful article in the September issue of Traditional Home magazine on Frederick Carder’s Jade glass.  Everyone who attended the Symposium that year received a copy of the article.  Blues were one of the colors featured together with a quote from Tom Dimitroff where he explained, “In glass color is chemistry.”  In the article we see a variation of stems, sherberts, perfumes, and vases, all in a rich, gorgeous shades.

“You buy for quality, color and shape, not signature,” said Tom.  Jade glass had its heyday in the 1920s and the emphasis was always on quality.

The story of Jade is bound up with Carder’s personal history.  Prior to Carder emigrating from England, he had been working at Stevens and Williams.  Not surprisingly, Stevens and Williams is another prominent source of jade glass.

The photographs in the article feature dark blue jade, light blue jade, solid blue jade, an acid-etched light blue jade and turquoise.

Steuben’s Jade also comes in cased versions, when one layer is laid over another.  Two different jades were often put together, usually alabaster and a darker color.  It was also acid etched, and optic ribbing was used on vases and bowls, giving the piece a series of regular grooves.

“Carder had a remarkable genius for design — and a genius for chemical formulations,” says Tom Dimitroff. “It was a very happy marriage.”

Here are some other pieces from our shape gallery that showcase the variations of blue jade.