In 2003, to commemorate the centennial of Steuben Glass, Corning historian and Steuben glass expert Thomas P. Dimitroff authored a series of articles for The Corning Leader newspaper. These articles offered a historical overview of Steuben’s evolution over the decades and explored recurring themes across the Frederick Carder and Arthur Houghton eras.  Tom generously provided our organization with copies of nine of these articles, which are available for viewing on our website here.

The article first published on June 22, 2003 focused on works that honor the sacrifices made during World War I and World War II.  One of the highlighted pieces was the World War I Memorial Window, designed by Frederick Carder and made by Steuben Glass Works. This window was commissioned as a tribute to the thirty Corning residents who died in World War I — including Carder’s own son, Cyril — and was installed in 1931 above the main entrance of the original Corning Memorial Library.

The window features a cast Bristol Yellow glass panel, medallions, and a border made of richly variegated glass tiles.  Frederick Carder produced the medallions using the Cire Purdue technique.  The names of the fallen appear in the center of the window, preserving their memory.

Standing seven feet tall and 42 inches wide, the Frederick Carder Memorial Window is the most extensive window ever designed by Carder and made by Steuben. It holds deep historical and emotional significance for both the city of Corning and the Carder family.  In his book Frederick Carder and Steuben Glass, Dimitroff includes a poignant quote from architect Palmer Rogers, who wrote to Carder:

When Tom donated the Leader articles to our organization, he also shared research materials from his book, including a copy of Rogers’ heartfelt letter.

In 1975, when Corning’s library moved to a new location, the Memorial Window was transferred to the Rockwell Museum. It remained there until 2000, when museum renovations led to it being placed in storage. Recognizing the significance of the piece, the City of Corning’s Public Art Committee spent more than a decade seeking a new, safe, and visible location for the window. One of our organization’s major projects in 2013 was to support the relocation and reinstallation of the World War I Memorial Window. The project was spearheaded by Tom Dimitroff and aimed to unveil the window on September 18, 2013, in honor of Frederick Carder’s 150th birthday. After spending over a decade in storage, the leaded glass window and two accompanying honor rolls were reinstalled in a custom, well-lit display case next to the south entrance of Corning City Hall.

Information contained in this article is credited to Thomas Dimitroff Frederick Carder and Steuben Glass, the Corning Museum of Glass (including the Rakow Library), and the Collector’s Choice articles from the Rockwell Museum.