INTARSIA

By

Bob Mueller

As I have said before, this was Mr. Carder’s finest moment in the glass world. As long as I have seen the Intarsia pictures in the first two or three books on Frederick Carder’s Steuben Glass, that’s all it took; I was awestruck. See link for two examples.

The designs, colors used, shapes, mesmerized me, and continue even today. As I would look at the photographs in Paul Gardner’s book, there is one piece of Intarsia there I would hold back on as a favorite, but only because a very special friend of mine has spoken for it. But, after that I would start with the French Blue vase, next the Blue Leaf with Black Trailings vase and keep going.

Yes, Mr. Carder made three other world class types of glass after making his Intarsia. There was Cire Perdue, Pate de Verre and Mr. Carder’s last type, Diatreta. They are all great examples of what makes him one of the world’s premier glass artists.

To this list of world class accomplishments we can even add in his Rouge Flambé, Mandarin Yellow and Millefiori, to expand the choice. They are all examples of greatness, but at the end of the day his Intarsia surpasses them all.

When you look at the design that was chosen for the piece, the time that it would take to carve out of the gather of glass for the design, then fill in the carved design with the color Mr. Carder would want for the piece, now it needs another layer of crystal to lock in the design, and now comes all the fun.

Mr. Carder had the great glassblower, Johnny Jansson, blow the Intarsia pieces. As we look at the finished pieces, the brilliant crystal glass (on most of them) that has great sparkle to it. Then we look at how evenly the design in the glass is. The pattern in the pieces tells us the true story of the extra workmanship put into these fabulous pieces.

Mr. Carder was also willing to even try other things in his Intarsia glass. We would also see other colors used as the base (Black & Blue) or the color French Blue for the color of his glass.

When we look at his great competitors and pieces that gave them great recognition would any of them be able to stand up to Carder’s Intarsia? Sure, arguably there might be that one piece from the likes of Tiffany, Lalique, Pairpoint, Hawkes or Stevens & Williams that could stand up to Mr. Carder’s best piece of Intarsia? Just don’t ask me to be a judge of that.

http://www.kddk.com/alans/303Intarsiafront.jpg
http://www.kddk.com/alans/303Intarsiarear.jpg
http://www.kddk.com/alans/303Intarsiasignature.jpg
http://www.kddk.com/alans/402BlueIntarsiaVase.jpg

Bob Mueller
Osseo , MN
May 27, 2009