The silver overlay vase discussed in prior Gazettes was apparently engraved in
about 1901 in England as a presentation piece from Frederick Carder to John
Northwood. There seems to be some confusion from all these e-mails of debate
going back and forth. The engraved signature includes a middle initial “C”. Mr.
Carder came to the US in 1903. His signature here, as best we know did not
include a middle initial.
The use of a middle initial, which was not done in the American period raised
eyebrows and questions as to the authenticity of the Mr. Carder’s English period
piece. It encouraged a lot of debate. I think the answer lies in the response
from Tom Dimitroff.
If you notice in the Founder’s Introduction, p. 8 my book, Mr. Rockwell speaks of
Frederick C. Carder. We know Carder was named Frederick Caleb Carder. Like
many of us with middle initials, Carder, too, seemed to use it at times and not at
others. I think also there are many of us who do not like their middle name for
one reason or another. These people tend to use it even less than the rest.
There may be some mysterious answer other than this, but I really don’t think
so. Carder simply had a middle name that he did not like and therefore seldom
used it. In his glassmaking, he used a monogram, or F. Carder, or Fredk Carder
more than he did Frederick Carder. Again, no mystery, just personal choice and
appropriateness. Sometimes when we think hard enough, we can create things.