First, a couple of corrections. Ed Bush’s scholarly article on whether Mr. Carder has a middle initial in his name is going to appear in the Bulletin of the National American Glass Club. Second, I may have portrayed her visit to Alfred University, as a sour experience. Carol advises that while it may have been in part disappointing, that she did have a good experience with the two staff members she met with. It’s just that they’re not getting support and direction from higher up.

Now, when visiting Corning no trip is complete without stopping by The Steuben Shop. Always a chance of seeing Mr. Rockwell who visits regularly. Mr. Rockwell has written a paper on his recollections of Mr. Carder which he shares with visitors, and has allowed us to share with Club members.

Memories of Fred Carder (1863 – 1963)
Robert Rockwell 2007

One beautiful autumn day in 1933 a big blue Packard car pulled up, Dr. Sullivan was the
driver and Fred Carder was the passenger along with me. We went to the Corning Country
Club to play our first round of golf together. Fred Carder was 70, Dr. Sullivan was 60, and I was 22. For the next 25 years we together played every Sunday, weather permitting. Sometimes we played on Saturdays also. Mr. Carder was a very golfer for his age. He shot 90 on his 90th birthday, a very respectable feat! Dr. Sullivan was very particular about keeping score; sometimes he would correct Mr. Carder when he would “forget” a shot or two. Saturday at 5:00 – 6:30 we met at Dr. Sullivan’s along with the rest of his group who including Corning most prominent citizens – Ambassador Houghton, Fred Parsons, George MacBeth, G.B. Hollister, Judge Wheeler, and Ed Smith.
Mr. Carder and I were good social friends too! I was invited to his home for dinner and he
would come to our home along with Dr. Sullivan. Starting at 80 years old Hertha and I along
with Dr. Sullivan’s group, Bill Severn and Wilber Miller were invited to his birthday party on the top floor of the Baron Steuben Hotel – the last one being his 100th!
Mr. Carder came to Corning from England in 1902 with his wife Ann, son Cyril and
Daughter Gladys. His son Stanley died of diabetes at the age of seven. Cyril was killed in
1918 in W.W.I. Gladys married Gillette Wells and had two sons – Carder and Gillette Jr.
(Toots). Corning was a town with many small glass companies. Mr. Carder formed a partnership
with Mr. Tom Hawkes and started Steuben. At one time they had approximately 200
employees. Mr. Carder and Mr. Sinclaire, owner of the Sinclaire Glass Company, did not like each other. When they first met, Mr. Carder told Mr. Sinclaire that his wife very homely – which in England meant that she was attractive, a good wife, housekeeper and mother. Mr. Sinclaire did not accept the explanation and the two gentlemen were not on speaking terms.
On a train ride from New York to Corning Mr. Carder went to the dining car for dinner.
The only available seat was right next to Mr. Sinclaire. Mr. Sinclaire said, “Mr. Carder sit
down.” Mr. Carder replied, “Thank you!” I don’t know if there was any conversation during
the meal. Mr. Sinclaire died of a heart attack three weeks later. We kidded Mr. Carder about
so shocking Mr. Sinclaire that it caused his heart attack. In 1960 Mrs. Dorothy Wills, an antique dealer who sold me a number of toys, asked me if I would go to Blake’s Antiques to see a nice music box, which I later bought. That is when I first met Frank and Amy Blake. At that time I also bought about 15 large Buddy L toys for $20 each.
When I went into the Blake’s home to pay the bill, they had a big glass cabinet full of
pretty glass. They told me that was Steuben glass which was all made under the direction of
Mr. Frederick Carder. That was a surprise to me because I thought all the Steuben was just
clear crystal! So I got the idea that that case full of glass would be nice. I asked Frank if he would sell me the case with everything in it, which would make a pretty good sale. I figure I would buy about a dozen nice pieces of Steuben and that would be enough. That sale was the start of my Steuben glass collection. That was 1960. Mr. Carder was 97 and I thought if he were to live to 100. I had 3 years to learn from him; the man who probably knew more about American and European glass than anybody. During the next thirty three years I bought 15,000 pieces – sold about 10,000 pieces and saved 5,000 for the collection which is now in the Carder Gallery at the Corning Museum of Glass Complex and in our home.
Every Thursday at 8 o’clock I would take about 25 pieces of glass to Mr. Carder to identify.
If they were Steuben glass and were Aurene he would sign them Aurene, F. Carder. If they
were Steuben, but not Aurene he would sign them Steuben, F. Carder. He signed
approximately 2,000 pieces for me, and also pieces that others would bring him. Those pieces
signed by him are very collectable now – it is like having a letter signed by a famous person. Mr. Carder also did some nice oil paintings, if he liked you and you wanted one, he would give it to you. If he didn’t know you too well he would charge you $50.00. I guess he painted about 60 pictures. Today they sell for about $1,000 – $1,500.
Dr. Sullivan, who was his best friend for many years died in 1961. I think Mr. Carder
considered me his best friend for the last few years of his life. On September 18, 1963 he invited his close friends and we celebrated his 100th birthday! A couple of weeks after that when I was at his home he showed me a large growth on his bicep. It was a tumor about the size of a banana.. I contacted his doctor, Dr. Pinkston. Mr. Carder went to the hospital. Dr. Dimitroff operated and removed the tumor which was malignant. When I visited him in the hospital I was told by the nurse not to tell him of the Kennedy assassination which happened that day. The first thing that Mr. Carder asked me was what I thought of the assassination; he still was so very sharp. After a few days in the hospital he went home, and seemed to be doing pretty good for a man of 100 years old. I had dinner with him that night. As he was going up his winding stairs at 10 o’clock I asked him if he wanted
any help. His answer was, ’No, I have been going up these damn stairs for 50 years by myself
and I’m going to do the same tonight. At 10:30 PM that night his house keeper Ellen found
him dead in bed, apparently from a blood clot. Fred Carder was a most unusually interesting and a great man to have known as one of my best friends for over 30 years. He had unusual quotes like, “Smoke Stack University”, in referring to the Corning Glass Works. Also, “Ten Cent Avenue” – Dennison Parkway when the chain stores started moving in. Mr. Carder was known for his bluntness and colorful language. However, he never swore when there were ladies present. In the 30 years I knew him I never saw him lose his temper. He officially retired as director of Steuben when he was 70 in 1933. Then for the next 22 he had his studio where he made his Cire Purdue (lost wax) pieces and Diatreta pieces. Those pieces sell today from $25,000 to $60,000, and are all one of a kind. Mr. Carder was also very interested in education. He was a member of the Corning School Board for 30 years and president for 12 of those years. He was also very involved in the Corning Country Club, the Corning City Club and Corning Rotary, which he was the 1st president in 1921. He was a real community minded man and a great citizen of Corning.