CRACKLED GLASS
By Bob Mueller

Crackled glass has been made for a few centuries under a number of different names, such a Ice Glass, Verre Craquelle and a few more.

Paul V. Gardner in the glossary to his book, The Glass of Frederick Carder (p. 360), says, “Crackle or Crackling: An intentional effect obtained by dipping the expanded gather into water while hot. This causes the glass to crack. After it is reheated, the cracks fuse but the scars of the cracks remain, giving a decorative effect.” The glass needs this process to seal the glass from shattering and encasing the crackle effect. Mr. Carder in using crackling to his glass just added beauty and attraction to an otherwise just plain vase of his.

A crackle effect is used mostly on vases but will also be found on perfumes and lamps. . Also the applied ornaments that are added to some of Mr. Carder’s Steuben glass are usually a lion’s head decoration, or applied decoration with a circular twist to it. Frequently, the vases Mr. Carder used were rectangular shaped pieces that were mold blown. You will not find pontil marks on these pieces, but rather the flat edge on the top edge of these pieces. Mr. Carder usually used two color combinations on his pieces with the applied decoration of Bristol Yellow, Pomona Green, Amber, Topaz, and Celeste Blue.

You can also find the crackle effect used on perfumes. The perfume catalogue #6887 has the crackle effect to the base of the perfume, with a cut stopper to show us two different techniques used in one piece.

Also, I’ve seen the technique used on perfume, catalogue #6237.

Frequently crackled glass is found in metal holders. Mr. Carder worked with a several metal companies that would create fittings for Mr. Carder’s pieces.

CRACKLE GLASS—AURENE

One other type of crackled glass not often seen that Mr. Carder made was in conjunction with his Aurene glass, then applying a decoration, which was then plunged into cold water, reheating it, and then blown into the chosen shape. In Paul Gardner’s book there are seven catalogue numbers with the possibility of being used for the Aurene crackled effect to it.

Based on what I have seen over the years of collecting I’ve encountered some five to ten pieces that were lamp bases.

Finally, I’d note that because of the internet we are finding many heretofore unknown techniques and I wouldn’t be surprised to find the application of crackling to categories not yet identified.

Bob Mueller
Osseo, Minnesota
March 18, 2010