Frederick Carder Steuben Glass Vase, ca. 1927

Appraised on: July 11, 2009

Appraised in: Madison, Wisconsin

Appraised by: Arlie Sulka

Category: Glass

Episode Info: Madison, Hour 3 (#1409)

Originally Aired: March 1, 2010

IMAGE: 1 of 2  

Appraisal Video: (1:54)

GUEST: It was made in China. This was a wedding present to my grandparents when they got married in the 1890s. My grandmother's good friend was living in China, and she brought this vase as a present for my grandmother, for their wedding present.

APPRAISER: Although this may look Chinese, it's actually American. And this is a piece of Frederick Carder era Steuben glass. It was made in Corning, New York, between 1925 and 1930. I can understand why you think it might have been Chinese, because it almost looks like Peking glass. But actually, the decoration on it-- I know, you're shocked, right? The decoration on it is called matsu, which is a Japanese word for pine. And if you look at the decoration on the piece, these are Japanese pine trees. And the type of glass is called green jade. It does look like jade, but it's green jade glass that has been acid-etched over alabaster glass.

GUEST: All right.

APPRAISER: Frederick Carder was born in England, and he worked for a British firm called Stevens & Williams. And then he came over when he was about 40 years old. He came to the United States to co-found Steuben Glass in 1903.

GUEST: Oh, I see.

APPRASIER: And from 1903 to 1933, they had this fabulous art glass line, many of the pieces which he designed. Now, there are many of his pieces-- particularly this type-- that we usually can find signatures, but I recognized it immediately as being Steuben. All right. If this were in a retail shop, it would sell in the neighborhood of $1,000 to $1,500.

GUEST: I see.