Thursday, February 2, 2012

Its obvious that our members have varying feelings about adding Modern Steuben Collectors to the Club. We continue to share your responses and welcome more. So, the Gazette will continue publishing the many comments we’ve received in the coming days.

Alan,

As one who collects mostly Carder Steuben, but who also has a number of “modern” pieces from the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, I would favor the addition of modern — now that Steuben is out of production — into the club’s mission.

Thanks for taking our input into consideration.

Regards,

Dale Rice–

David,

This is a no-brainer, imho. Expand the club’s mission statement to encompass all of Steuben’s offerings. We have nothing to lose, and the possibility of gaining membership. It seems a no brainer to me. 100 years from now Steuben and Carder will still be associated with each other in the history books. But the distinction between Carder and post Carder output, on the other hand, will be a footnote I fear – a zit on the camel’s hindquarters. Steuben will be remembered for the company it was for its one hundred and eight years of existence.

John Kohut, Elkland, Pennsylvania

I too would like to see modern Steuben included in our club.

Thanks,

Edna Schuligoj, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Alan, we at one time belonged to another club a similar situation; one side started strong with glass and the other not quite as strong in ceramics. The ceramic people seemed deeper in stick-to-it-tiviness and expanded their role to the extent that they eventually became the leadership. The glass people died out by attrition, tired of setting up for the show and not selling, loosing in the end to the later auction, some poor show locations and in the ever increasing lack of quality goods. Don’t know what happened but I feel the power of glass dissipated with no one wanting to adequately represent it while ceramics continued to thrive. I also noticed that there were less people wanting to step up for the various functions required to run a club, fewer and fewer new members; particularly of the younger generation. I imagine getting the word out is a problem, We found out about the Steuben club through an advertisement in one of the glass publications. Do we advertise through other clubs as well as run other clubs ads (kind of like links on the internet? By the by we put our names in for treasurer if the club needed some one in that position. Karen & Cy Beeman, Media, Pennsylvania

www.cardersteubenclub.org

Any opinions expressed by participants to the Gazette e-mail newsletters are the opinions of the authors and are not endorsed by or the opinions of the Carder Steuben Club.

2012 Carder Steuben Club annual Symposium will be held at The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY from September 20-22, 2012.