May 16, 2009
Issue 566
Marshall Ketchum, author of Frederick Carder’s Steuben Glass Guide to Shapes, Numbers, Colors, Finishes, and Values responds to a question about whether a post production signature by Mr. Carder, a production fleur de lis, a Steuben paper label, or Steuben factory signature on a piece of glass adds to its value.
Concerning Bea Weiskopf’s question I would pay very little attention to any signature. All of the Steuben signatures have been forged including, and especially, the Carder signature. If one had the three pieces she is talking about I would evaluate them all about the same. The Carder signature if it could be shown to be genuine might be worth 20% more. Worrying about signatures isn’t what Steuben collecting is all about.
Marshall