Before we get to the letter “S”. Lon Knickerbocker who will be showing glass at the Comfort Inn on Thursday, October 1 says he will open at noon instead of 1 o’clock. Just will give those who will be busy hitting the other shops or blowing glass at Rodi Rovner, or those new to the Symposium who will be attending the opening workshop an opportunity to get all that done and see his goodies. Lon also reports that I’m going to try and make it nice. I have some fun stuff.

Now to many e-mails on the letter “S”. From David Goldstein of Naples.
The diamond point “s” also shows up on some modern Steuben beside stemware. I’ve seen it on fruits such as the Banana and Grapes as well as on other smaller, odd-shaped pieces. I would be suspicious if it was on a vase or bowl.

A recent Gazette included an observation by Bob Weinberg that Carder preferred even numbers in his patterns such as the six or eight lobed perfumes. A notable exception is Florentia, which normally has five repeats of the leaf pattern.

Jim Sutterfield of Corning says
Steuben still puts an “s” on a limited no. of items. i/e stems of strawberries and the Heart throb piece for 2.

Beth Shaut of the Carder Steuben Glass Shop on Market Street in Corning reports
What’s in the marking by the letter “S”? I believe that the diamond point ‘S’ on crystal was used on assorted dinnerware into the late 1940’s. We have had several pieces come through the shop over the years. Some of the old timers said they started signing with full signature by 1950 on all pieces dinner pieces. The little ‘M’ handled piece was listed as a Cigarette Holder but some collect them as Toothpick.

Tom Dimitroff of Corning who sells glass at 94 West in Corning (94 West Market)
A word about the “S” signature. It is correct that it was used after 1932. However, it was used not only on transparent ware of all types, but also on Ivory and Ivrene both of which continued to be made well after 1932.

Finally, Rande Bly of Birmingham writes
Marshall Ketchum commented on Madigan’s information regarding the “S” signature and, I assure everyone the diamond point scribed single “S” signature was used on items other than stemware, contrary to what is in the Madigan book. I have had it on a 6030 Green Grey vase, A Blue Gray centerpiece bowl, and a Sea Green Grotesque. If you look in Dimitroff’s book on page 231 fig. 10.67 in the section on signatures the factory diamond point “s” is showcased on what I feel to be a finger bowl, and is definitely not a piece of stemware. I would agree Carder used it in 1932 and 1933. The colors I have listed above were all very late production colors and the dates these colors were used at Steuben properly correspond to the 32 and 33 dates of the signature.