1. EDITORIAL-STERLING SILVER BACKGROUND

In your shopping trips have you ever acquired a perfume or other piece of art glass that has a sterling silver overlayed pattern? Or have you seen such an object and wondered if it was a Carder created blank made by Steuben? If you search on the Club’s website www.cardersteubenclub.org and go to the shape gallery and do a search by the term “silver overlay” you’ll only find 14 pieces of such silvered pieces. Not very many identified as Steuben.

Willson & Susan Craigie of Richmond, Virigina are doing research on this little known area. Because many blanks came from Steuben they are also seeking to add to the website nomenclature on silver decorated pieces.

Our webmaster has a difficult task in determing from pictures what is a Steuben blank, let alone whether the decoration is silver, sterling silver, silver over copper, or silver like.

Note that both Steuben and other glass houses sold blanks to decorating companies. In turn the glass manufactures had no control over the decorating process that took place after the blank was sold. For that matter similar blanks may have been sold by various manufacturers to be decorated that have similar shapes. So, a dual problem. From a picture how to identify what is Steuben Glass, and the other, what type of overlay was applied.

In the next week, or weeks we’ll share some background and education on the silvering process, identification and how Carder Steuben fits into this little explored area.

2. BACKGROUND FROM THE CRAIGIES

Susan and I are in the midst of our research on the Alvin Silver Co. from it’s inception until shortly after acquisition by Gorham Silver Co. We currently have a collection of 250 plus pieces of Sterling Silver Overlay (not all Steuben)

As it appears “Silver Metal” is NOT a correct description……… “Overlay” is the modern homer of “deposit”. IF the piece was delivered to Alvin Silver Co., it would have been covered by “Sterling Silver Overlay”.

More specifically – there are many, many “silver metal overlay” things around……… That may mean metal which is covered by silver…… it may mean metal which is silver colored……. “Sterling Silver Overlay” means something very specific !!! If it cannot be determined to be “Sterling” then “silver Metal” is OK. However, if the object was covered via “electrolysis” method involving Sterling Silver……. The Carder Steuben Club should say so. My educated guess is there are few Carder Steuben blanks that were not covered by “Sterling” silver. This does NOT include things which were bought as Steuben and then later covered with some cheap silver design……

on the Club’s website the listings spell out: “Silver Overlay: Silver Metal” – This seems to be the case throughout.

Selenium Vase with Alvin Silver sterling silver overlay decoration

Shape #1308

8 inches high

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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