An interesting exchange of e-mails between Joan Walter about her lay down perfume and Carl
Radke. Joan is the first person to sign up for the Sept. 18-20 Symposium and promises to bring her scent bottle with her for our close examination.

Carl — I collect scent bottles. I recently bought a lay down scent bottle with a sterling mount and lid because I loved the glass. The glass wasn’t represented to me as old or new or having been made by any particular glass artist. However, the sterling mount is old, from around the turn of the last century. I have been trying to determine who made the glass, and it has been suggested that you may have made it. I have attached a photograph of the scent bottle. The glass is iridescent green and the inside is cased in white. Would you please take a look at the bottle and let me know if you made it? Thank you very much. Joan Walter

Yes I have to admit it looks like one of mine. I don’t remember making it, but that doesn’t mean anything. That’s a nice piece. Thanks Carl Radke

Thanks so much for responding so quickly to my email. Trying to identify this bottle (which everyone thinks is a wonderful piece of glass) has stirred a lively email debate among members of the glass club that I belong to, so I am hoping that you won’t mind answering a couple more (ok, so it’s really four more) questions that have been posed. First, some members thought that you did not do laydown scent bottles, so, can I assume that your response means that you have made laydown bottles? Second, the sterling hinged lid and mount bears the “early” mark of R. Blackinton & Co., a silversmith operating in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, that was not used after about 1900. I’ve attached a photo of the mark. Would you have had an old sterling mount that you put on the bottle, or is this something that someone else did, and, if so, what would your original cap have looked like? Third, we thought that your work always was signed, and, unless the signature is underneath the sterling mount, this piece is not signed. Are some of your pieces unsigned? Fourth, the iridized green glass is transparent, so, as you may be able to see from the attached photo, you can see the shadow of the vine-like trailings on the white interior casing that is underneath the iridized transparent green glass. Does the glass that you create have this characteristic? Again, it’s such a terrific piece of glass. Thank you for taking the time to respond to some crazy glass collectors’ questions. Joan

Hello Joan, ok the scent bottle was obviously a custom job which I do from time to time. A customer comes in with the original scent bottle broken and wants a replacement. I would custom make the bottle to fit the cap. The lack of signature is a mystery; maybe it is signed under the cap or more likely not signed. Yes there have been pieces that have left the studio unsigned. Perhaps the customer requested that the piece not be signed or maybe it was overlooked. The glass color is in my opinion unmistakably made by Phoenix Studios, possibly not by me. I had two other partners which might have made the piece without me knowing in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s. I hope this info helps. Let me know, thanks
Carl

Thanks so much, Carl. I think that should answer the questions, and I really appreciate it. I know I’m repeating myself, but it really is a wonderful piece of glass. Joan

On the Carl Radke response to Joan Walter about likely creating the lay down perfume, Dick
Weertz of Osprey, FL responds:
That is an very scary and unbelievable admission.

As to comments from John Clayton on Tiffany doing more marketing than Steuben, Rod Aftuck of
Atlanta says:
Sounds like the same problem Modern Steuben is having today, didn’t spend enough on brand
awareness.

Same subject, Dick Stark of Bethesda, MD:
…rightly so…..Tiffany did much else besides glass. Most evolved subsequent to any promotion., while Steuben was glass exclusively….

Then glass artist Debbie Tarsitano of Westport, MA asks the question:
Any news about what is happening with the Steuben company sale?
Perhaps someone can let us know what is happening with the possible sale or closure of the current Steuben Glass company.