I sent out an errant e-mail last night. I was pleased with those who replied to
say they share an understanding because of their own miscues. It also brought a
response from Kirk Nelson of The New Bedford Museum of Glass, who touched
on three subjects. First, e-mail pitfalls. Second, NAGC’s decision to use e-mail
much as the Carder Steuben Club. And, finally a Cire Perdue question Kirk is
trying to research. Full copy follows at the end of this e-mail.
Next up. I thought it might be interesting to do a retrospective of pictures
from the old Reischlager Gallery at the Rockwell Museum. I’ve tried to track
some pictures down in Corning. Very limited success. However, it occurs to me
that amongst those receiving these e-mails some of you may have taken and
preserved pictures. It would be nice to be able to post a recollection. So, if you
have or know where we might find some images, please let me know.
Finally, the NAGC visited the home of Jim Barlow and Mark Buffa to see their
glorious collection of Steuben. If any of you took pictures, please pass them
back to share.

From Kirk:
Receipt of the meeting agenda – ok, so there are a few email announcement
pitfalls! – inspires me to zap off a quick note to say how incredibly impressive
your work on behalf of the Carder Steuben group has been. At a recent board
meeting of the National American Glass Club we were lamenting the deficiency
of interaction between NAGC leadership and membership. The Carder Steuben
group – and more specifically your steady outgoing email stream of research
queries, news announcements, club projects, etc., was held up as a model of
engaging and highly educational club communications. It really is quite
extraordinary. We will attempt to initiate a similar endeavor, “hosted” by NAGC
members David and Elissa Goldstein. Wish us luck!
Relative to research queries, I mentioned in a phone conversation with you many
months ago (back when that nice Intarsia bowl was coming up for sale at the Leo
Legare auction) that my museum has a small example of Carder’s cire perdue
glass. The piece has historical importance because it was given by Carder to
studio glass pioneer Edris Eckhardt when she visited him in the 1950s seeking
advice on glass casting technology. Are you familiar with her work? In the
Carder archives at Corning I came across a copy of Ceramics Monthly magazine
(June 1954, featuring an article on Eckhardt’s work) personally inscribed to
Carder “Best Regards Edris Eckhardt.”
I have attached a photo of our cire perdue piece, which measures only 2 13/16″
in dia., and wonder if your club membership might be able to provide us with
some information about it. We would be interested to know if Carder made
similar medallions and whether or not he might have intended to develop this
piece (or the “Gloria” design) into some larger work. The piece is unfinished,
having a large sprue mark projecting from the edge below the”GLORIA”
lettering. Any insights would be much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Kirk
__________________________
Kirk J. Nelson
Executive Director
The New Bedford Museum of Glass