Steuben Glass

Steuben Glass

Steuben Glass

Steubens early range of iridescent art glass played a major role in establishing the company’s fortunes and prestigious reputation.

It also made a major contribution to the development of modern American art glass.

Frederick Carder, co-founder of the Steuben glassworks, was an innovative and talented designer and glass technologist..

His early experiments with coloured art glass resulted in his now famous gold Aurene iridescent range, which he patented in 1904.

Steuben Glass

The gleaming lustrous surfaces of Steuben iridescent pieces proved highly popular with the American public so popular that they challenged Tiffany’s Favrile ware which they closely resembled.

Carder went on to develop new iridescent colour ranges.

Blue Aurene was launched in 1905, and red aurene a difficult and often unstable colour followed, together with Opaline brown, and shades of green.

Verre de soie clear glass with a silky, silvery iridescence was produced from 1905, and Ivrene was launched in the 1920s.

Steuben Glass iridescent colors were rather brighter than those of Tiffany.

Steuben Glass

They were often combine and in one piece and, although Carder believed the colours spoke for themselves, pieces were frequently decorated with flat surface effects such as  pulled feathering.

Steuben Glass

The Aurene range was Steuben major output between about 1904 and 1933.

Vases, dishes, and bowls were staples.

The forms were mostly standard and were designed to appeal to a broad public, but they were transformed by the soft, even coloured sheen, and it is the collar, decoration, and quality of finish that determine value today.

Decorated Aurene glass in particular pieces with interesting surface decoration and colour combinations is the most valuable.

Steuben Glass

I hope you have found this page on  Steuben Glass to be both informative and helpful, please find further reading on iridescent glass on this blog.

Happy hunting,  from the collectibles coach.