1) Some pictures from & Howard & Paula Ellman with their
commentary. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cardersteubenclub/sets/72157600041738566
2) Further commentary from Kirk Nelson in responding to Marshall Ketchum.
3) Sad to report that the Paul Vickers Gardner research facility funded by a bequest from Paul
Gardner to Alfred University is not yet open for business after all this time.
4. Another commentary on Cire Perdue from observations at Gardner’s home by Dick Stark.
Howard & I have some original photographs from Mr. Carder’s files which may help in the Cire
Perdue/pate de verre discussion. Carder calls these items “sculptured glass”. Not cire perdue.
Most of the pictures are marked on the reverse in Carder’s own hand, as I have shown in my
pictures.
Perhaps these could be forwarded to Mr. Nelson at the museum. I do not have his email address.
I sent 10 pictures. Let me know if they all do not come through, and I can send them again.
Paula Ellman http://www.flickr.com/photos/cardersteubenclub/sets/72157600041738566

Dear Mr. Ketchum,
Thank you for your reply to my query re. the little Carder medallion. Your
point subsequently was reinforced by comments made by Bobby Rockwell.
Recognizing the medallion’s likely genesis as a learning exercise focused on
process, it’s still quite fascinating and rewarding to consider it in the
context of Carder’s artistic and expressive facility. The little piece takes on a
wonderfully spontaneous, whimsical quality. How extraordinary that Carder
would “whip off” such a delightful little study when the likely end was the cullet
heap!
I’m still hoping to learn of the existence of related items – either in form
(small medallions) or subject, which, through comparison, might further
contribute to our understanding of Carder and his work. For example, if the
intended purpose of the piece were technological advancement, what does it tell us
that the form is so simple? Was it a very early example in his learning curve and
therefore likely to be very early in date? If so, it must have “banged”
around his office for decades before Eckhardt’s visit. Or was this simple shape
and small size well suited to test variations in glass composition or annealing
temperature sequence? If so, we would expect that many similar ones were
produced. Are they out there? Might Carder have made the piece to test some
new modeling material or tools? The medallion shows a series of shallow parallel
groove marks along its edge, where a sculpting tool was used to quickly remove
material. Do these marks show up in other “test” pieces?
Half a century ago (or more) this little piece contributed to Carder’s
learning curve. Now it’s contributing to ours!
Many thanks for your input.
Best,
Kirk
I vividly recall Paul Gardner having several pieces and partials of Cire Perdue in
his home which both he and Mr. Carder had made. He was quite proud of them
but I thought them to be embryonic. One was of a horse.