Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The December/January 2012-13 issue of Art & Antiques magazine has an interesting and provocative essay, entitled “A Touch of Glass”. (Pages 88-92) I highly recommend its reading. For non subscribers it should be on the newsstands or at your libraries.

The author, Henry Adams , summarizes the article by a sub title of “How the Late, Great Steuben Glass Company Became a Patron of Affordable Art in the Age of Deco and Beyond”.

I would summarize the article core as identifying when the Late Great Steuben Glass lost its mojo. The author frames it with the question of “How did the company lose it aura”? The overall answer of the author seems to be “Ironically, the young modern that Steuben pioneered in the 1930s started to look old.”

A few highlights, include starting with a summary of history from the Carder era.

“The original company was formed in 1903 by an English glassmaker, Frederick Carder, and a local businessman, Thomas Hawkes. A technical virtuoso, Carder patented new varieties of glass, such as gold Aurene and Verre de soie, but as a designer his skills never quite equaled those of Louis Tiffany. By the 1930s the company, which by that time had become a division of Corning Glass, was losing money and was on the verge of closure. While remarkable in their way, Carder’s products had by the 1930s become Victorian and old-fashioned and looked like they were made for one’s long-buried great-great grandmother.”

Then Mr. Adams speaks to the ascension of Arthur Houghton, Jr in the early 1930s. . He speaks about him being only 27, and that his young age allowed him to think in youthful ways. “Essentially Houghton decided to give Steuben glass a modern look, which young people like himself could connect with.”

The article goes on with much-much more elaboration in describing some of the extraordinary objects produced by Steuben during the Houghton era. The author opines though that the roots of Steuben’s demise came about in the 1960s, culminating with Arthur Houghton ceasing active management in 1973. The author observes that the company continued on, without deviation, on the course it was on, “unmindful of the youth culture and social changes that were transforming America at the time…”

Mr. Adams says that in the 1960s it was a time of missed opportunities. While the company was employing art world notables, they failed to engage the Pop art greats of that period.

The article concludes with critiquing some of the best of Steuben designed items. Mr. Adams compares the tensions between “great artists” who achieved fame in the art world and lesser known company artists, who created some of the most extraordinary objects.

This summary is limited in scope of a rather extensive and thought provoking article. So, if you get a chance pick up a copy.

www.cardersteubenclub.org

The Carder Steuben Club, 60 E. Market Street #204, Corning, NY 14830

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2013 Carder Steuben Club annual Symposium will be held at The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY from September 19-21, 2013. The festivities will begin with Frederick Carder’s 150th birthday celebration on the evening of September 18, 2013.

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