A Healthy Dose of Skepticism

Several statements in last Thursday’s Gazette on Ivory glass made me pause. Subsequent research and documentation have resulted in a better understanding of Carder’s glass and caused many past pronouncements to be inaccurate or incomplete.

The first example relates to signatures on Ivory. A more nuanced and detailed description of signatures on Carder Glass, including Ivory, can be found in Appendix 5 on page 315 of Tom Dimitroff’s book.

A second example is the statement “All Steuben Ivory is blown; none was ever molded.” We, of course, know now that Vase Shapes 6415 and 6890 in Ivory are molded as is the 7231 Elephant Table Decoration in Ivory. There is also an Ivory chess piece that is almost certainly molded. All four of these pieces can be found on the Club website. Finally, the impression is left in the discussion that Ivory threading is found on many pieces. While my own experience might not be the standard, if Ivory threading even exists, it certainly isn’t common or easily found.

Scott Hansen, Stamford, CT

April in Corning

Hello Alan – I have planned my three spring Road Scholar courses that feature Frederick Carder in consecutive order this April for the convenience of collectors and others wishing to learn in depth about Corning’s most famous glass designer. They will be enhanced, of course, by the March opening of the North Wing of the Corning Museum of Glass.

All About Glass from the Crystal City and Around the World is a short course, April 7 to 10, that is a curatorial review of the collections at the museum and the Rakow Library. We go behind the scenes with museum experts, plus try a little glassblowing and have two special segments with Tom Dimitroff.

Hands-on Glassmaking at the Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, April 12 to 17, is an intensive week of Studio classes where participants are introduced to furnace glassmaking, working at the torch and designing for warm glass projects from the kiln. This is not watching others make glass, this is your work – no experience is required – and professional glass artists, who are also great teachers, are there to help you succeed.

Trio of American Genius: Frederick Carder, Glenn Curtiss and Mark Twain, April 19 to 24, is a lively week that puts Carder in context with two other local geniuses Glenn Curtiss of naval aviation fame and Samuel Clemens, beloved author who spent 20 summers in Elmira writing his most famous novels. Again, Tom Dimitroff is lead instructor.

All three of these Road Scholar courses feature accommodations at Watson Homestead Retreat & Conference Center, a quick 10 minutes drive west of Corning. Packages are all inclusive with hotel-style accommodations, most meals, lectures and transportation provided. I will be the tour leader, adding my love of Carder and insights from my work with Bob Rockwell for 23 years at the Rockwell Museum.

Full course descriptions and registration information can be found at www.roadscholar.org. ; Folks with questions may connect with me at watsonjenny@stny.rr.com.

I’m looking forward to meeting new friends and giving them a brilliant experience in Corning this spring. Thanks for your continued dedication to Carder Glass!

Jenny Monroe