Monday, May 14, 2012

In the last two Gazettes we discussed industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague joining Steuben in the period 1932-1934. We suggested a crossing of swords between Teague and Carder.

Ed Bush of Painted Post, NY, a great researcher, sets forth the actual dates of Carder and Teague’s roles at Steuben. This suggests they weren’t there with Carder in charge at exactly the same time. Popular lore has it that Carder ran Steuben from 1903-1933. This information from Ed Bush suggests otherwise.

Alan,

In today’s Gazette there appears to be a question regarding when Carder became Artistic Director of CGW and when Teague arrived on the scene. There is much evidence that Carder became Artistic Director on Aug. 1, 1931, and had no executive responsibilities with Steuben after that date. Madigan states on page 69 that Teague was appointed “as design consultant to Corning and Steuben under a one-year contract commencing in February 1932.”

Ed Bush

Then, Gail Bardhan from The Rakow Library provides resources on Teague

Some may be interested in our bibliography on Teague, which doesn’t summarize his work, but point to information about his work. See below.

Gail P. Bardhan
Reference and Research Librarian
Rakow Library
Corning Museum of Glass
5 Museum Way
Corning NY 14830
email bardhangp@cmog.org
telephone 607-438-5315

Walter Dorwin Teague (1883-1960)

Glassware Designs for Steuben

A Selective Bibliography Compiled by

The Rakow Library, The Corning Museum of Glass

Teague’s Designs for Steuben: About 32 patterns were included in the last Steuben Division catalog, published in 1932. Most of his designs were not made after 1933 or so, according to some sources, or 1934. There are no catalogs from Steuben for 1933.

Sources differ as to the last year in which he was employed as a consultant by Steuben; Walter Dorwin Teague Associates says 1934. There is a separate listing (in Excel) of his designs, with ware numbers and comments.

Albrecht, Donald. Glass + glamour; Steuben’s modern moment, 1930-1960. New York: Abrams, 2003. Cover, pages 13, 88.

“The art of the table.” Studio Yearbook 1934, p. 132. (Riviera)

Blaszczyk, Regina Lee. Imagining consumers : manufacturers and markets in ceramics and glass, 1865-1965. Ann Arbor, MI : UMI, 1996, c1995. Thesis (Ph. D.)–University of Delaware, 1995. Corning Glass Works & Steuben: p. 436-690. Teague: pages 587-605.

HD9971.5.T32 B64

“Blue Empire” full page ad in House Beautiful, Feb. 1933, p. 14, for Blue Empire, Cut leaves; St. Tropez, Regal, Mosella’ (mentioned in JSB files; not in CMGL)

“Blue Empire illustrating…” Country Life, Feb. 1933, p. 71. Advertisement for Blue Empire, Saint Tropez, and other Steuben patterns. (copy in vertical file)

Boykin, Elizabeth. “Grace of modern glass design; Steuben glass engraved by hand.” Art and Decoration, v. 37, 1932, p. 15+. (Saint Tropez)

(CMGL: VF: Glass production–US–New York–Corning–Steuben–Teague)

Brothers, J. Stanley. [Collection of papers about Steuben] Includes several references from early 1930s publications to Teague.

Corby, Jane. “Beautiful glassware beautifies your home.” Brooklyn Eagle, March 4, 1934, p. 3. (CMGL: VF: Glass production–US–New York–Corning–Steuben–Teague)

“Crystal in the modern spirit.” Advertisement in House Beautiful, Nov. 1932, which includes 7 vases etched in intaglio by Teague. (Not in CMGL)

Davies, Karen. At home in Manhattan, modern decorative arts 1925 to the Depression. New Haven, CT: Yale University Art Gallery, 1983. St. Tropez pattern: Page 27. (CMGL: N6494.A7.D27)

Dimitroff, Thomas P. Frederick Carder and Steuben Glass. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 1998. Pages 59, 75, 76, 162, 164, 168.

Gardner, Paul V. The Glass of Frederick Carder. New York: Crown, 1971.

At the back is the appendix to the 1932 catalog, which includes catalog line drawings of designs by Teague (which are designated with a T prefix)

[Georgian and Renwick designs] ad in House Beautiful, March 1933

(mentioned in JSB files; not in CMGL)

“Glass in art” Time Magazine, March 5, 1934, p. ?

Article on Steuben, with photo of and paragraph on Teague.

(CMGL: VF: Glass production–US–New York–Corning–Steuben–Teague)

Kibble, Edward. “Teague & Steuben Revised” Industrial Design, v. 30, no. 6, Nov./Dec. 1983, p. 72, ill. Letter regarding 1930s designs for Steuben.

Madigan, Mary Jane. Steuben. 1st ed. New York: Abrams, 1982.

Index notes the following pages which mention Teague: 69-70 (chapter 3, footnotes 10-16), 73, 74, 75, 78, 84; ware by Teague on pages 68, 80.

Museum of Modern Art. Machine art, March 6- April 30, 1934. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1934. (CMGL: NX456.M98)

Cocktail glass, no. 188; Old-fashioned cocktail glass, no. 189; Bowl, no. 227 (illustrated in the catalog; no photo owned by CMGL); Bowl, no. 228 (illustrated in the catalog; no photo owned by CMGL); Spherical vase, no. 235; Rectangular vase, no. 236; Vases, no. 237 (illustrated in the catalog; no photo owned by CMGL); Black glass vases, no. 238 (illustrated in the catalog; no photo owned by CMGL); Centerpiece, no. 240

(This catalog was reprinted by the Museum of Modern Art, and distributed by Abrams, in 1994.) (CMGL: NX456.M98 1994)

“New glass resigns color…” House & Garden, Oct. 1932, p. 56(?). Advertisement.

(CMGL: VF: Glass production–US–New York–Corning–Steuben–Teague; flooded and incomplete copy)

“Saint Tropez” (illustration) Studio Yearbook 1933, p. 110.

Steuben Glass. Masterpieces in glass. 1932.

(Not in OPAC 12/02; in Steuben Archives 1902-1932, box 2)

Steuben Glass. Steuben: hand-blown glassware. Corning, NY: Corning Glass Works, December 1932. Walter Dorwin Teague’s designs are in the appendix.

(CMGL: f-8743T)

“Table décor and details.” Studio Yearbook 1935, p. 117. (Rectangular motif)

Teague, Walter Dorwin. “Glass blown to new design.” Arts and Decoration, v. 40, March 1934, p. 18. (shows the rectangular motif glassware, 2 large decanters, and decanters with round metal tops)

(CMGL: VF: Glass production–US–New York–Corning–Steuben–Teague)

Teague, Walter Dorwin. “Structural and decorative trends in glass.” American Architecture, v. 141, May 1932, p. 40-3+. (not in CMGL)

“Walter Dorwin Teague designs glass.” Design, v. 37, March 1936, p. 40. (not in CMGL)

“Whet their curiosity.” Pottery Glass and Brass Salesman, March 10, 1932, p. ?

Wilson, Richard Guy, et al. The machine age I America, 1918-1914. New York: Brooklyn Museum in association with Abrams, 1986. Teague: p. 274 (date of glass illustrated is incorrect), p. 305, 306, 327.

The Contemporary American Industrial Art Exhibition at the Metropolitan Art Museum, 1934/1935, included his lens bowl and cut tableware (see Madigan, p. 80) However, I do not find that there was a catalog for the exhibition.

The Carder-Steuben Archives, Box 30B, has some designs done of casseroles for Corning Glass Works. The designs are marked N3 H-9-(o?) (Feb. 15, 1932), N9 H74 (July 28, 1932), H-34a (March 4 1932); H-54 (April 28, 1932); H-55 (April 30, 1932). In the same box, with similar design, are blueprints for a casserole bottom and casserole cover, number 613B and 613C, dated July 23, 1932 and July 26, 1932. The blueprints do not indicate if the initial design was done by Teague, but it is possible.

Art Index, and Designers International Index have references to other articles written by and about Teague, which refer to his non-glass designs. His obituaries (Design, no. 146, Feb. 1941; Interiors, Jan. 1961, p. 22+; Industrial Design, Jan. 1961, p. 25-29) make no mention of Steuben.

Libcom: Ready Reference: Firms: Steuben and Teague gb 2/2002; 1/2009

Gerry Eggert of Syracuse, NY adds some comments on Teague

So Teague was Steuben, just not Carder Steuben.

So Corning still makes glass? Or not since 1983?

Finally, Judy Morton of Newburgh, Indiana in visiting NYC adds her thoughts about the Teague period of time.

Thank you for the highly interesting information on the Productive time Mr. Teague spent designing and creating collectable objects. I am in New York, staying in the Gramercy Park set in the style of the times in which Mr. Teague lived. I enjoyed reading about this designer, engineer while harking back to those days and those times when the free enterprise system beaconed people throughout the world to come to America and seek your fortune and fulfill Your destiny. Isn’t it a delight to hold a piece of beautiful glass in your hand and see how the light is captured in a brief moment in TIME?

www.cardersteubenclub.org

2012 Carder Steuben Club annual Symposium will be held at The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY from September 20-22, 2012.

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