I can’t help but reminisce over what my attraction and allure was initially to Carder and his glass. It certainly was not post 1940 colorless. Bob Rockwell certainly was a huge influence in my passion. Yes, in his late years he dealt with the modern pieces, but he was in the business to sell. I don’t ever remember being in the shop with him and hearing him expound on the colorless Steuben. That’s not to say it didn’t happen, it’s just that I never heard it. His passion was Carder, and I can’t believe that somewhere in his 90+ years, the thought that incorporating the modern with Carder era in a collectors club never crossed his mind. I imagine that it probably did, but was never entertained ,for the reasoning that his loyalty lay with his good and well respected friend, Fred Carder. Would the Friends of Carder group ever entertained the notion of being known as The Friends of Carder, and Modern Steuben? If that sounds silly and unreasonable, then I wonder why The Carder Steuben Club is apparently close to doing it? I’m afraid my loyalties are with Carder, and although I have an appreciation for all quality glass art, I don’t consider the post 1940 colorless an extension of Carder.

Mark Chamovitz, Pittsburg, PA

Another View

Months ago I expressed my personal preference to limit the Club to Carder-era production. However, survival trumps exclusivity, and now inclines me toward expansion to include post-Carder Steuben, though I’m not sure that post-Carder collectors are any younger a demographic than are the Carder aficionados. I’m guessing that anyone under 50 has already moved beyond the era when linen, crystal, and silver were the staples of weddings, graduations, and elegance. Nevertheless, a broadened membership base, though perhaps not necessarily ‘younger,’ is essential, so let us be expansive.

Now to the name, to be sufficiently encompassing. In my view, it is the Carder creative genius that draws us together, and I’d be surprised if we all don’t have some Stevens & Williams, or Hawkes (just as surely as we also probably have some post-Carder Steuben) in our collections.

I use ‘post Carder,” in preference to “modern,” “crystal,” or “Houghton era,” because modern Steuben was, in its death throes, returning to color, and some crystal pieces were designed by, and produced in the Carder era. So much for “crystal” or “modern” as useful terms. As for “Houghton era,” that designates a ownership/management era (plus wrenching marketing change), which lacked the creative coherence of Carder’s oeuvre.

It is for this reason that I like Al Bradtke’s denomination of Carder and Post-Carder Steuben Club. It saves getting into issues of chemistry, and avoids the clear vs. colored dispute, since some Carder glass was clear, and some modern became colored. It also retains the focus on Carder, while not making collectors of later production feel like second class citizens.

How this would affect the website I can only hope Marshall has some way to accommodate!

As for who participates in a change in mission and appellation, I think it should be the whole membership, not just attendees at the Carder symposium.

Regards,

David Chadwick-Brown, San Diego, CA

Webmaster’s Corner

This colorless vase is shape 7088 and is 9.75 in high. It is 12 pillar molded and the rim is Ruby, probably Selenium Red. It is engraved in Grapes pattern. This vase was made with rim decoration of green, blue, amethyst, ruby and black and could be made either engraved or not engraved. As shown it sold for $5.50 in about 1925-1930.

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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