Steuben Glass, Truly American Works of Art

Steuben Glass Works was founded in 1903 in Corning, New York, and was to become one of the most famous American art glass manufacturers, imitated by many others. Experimentation at Steuben produced a large number of interesting colored art glasses, starting with Gold Aurene, a type of iridescent glass similar to that produced by the famous Tiffany glass works.

Gold Aurene was only the first of these magnificent colored glasses, however. It was followed quickly by a large number of other colors and types. Eventually the Steuben Glass Works' range was produced in more than seven thousand different shapes and a hundred and forty colors. From 1903 until WWI, this manufacturer produced amazing glass types.

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Restrictions during wartime meant that it became hard to acquire materials needed for glass manufacture, resulting in the company being sold to Corning Glass Works, where it became the Steuben Division. However, the company's operation didn't change much, except that Corning attempted to limit articles made by the company only to the most popular lines. However, this was mostly unsuccessful, and production continued as usual until the early 1930s.

Phase Out of Colored Glass

A major management change occurred in 1932. Because of the Great Depression, Steuben glass sales had been limited. The general public was also becoming a lot less interested in colored glass. The management change resulted in the existing Steuben lines being replaced by primarily clear art glass. These lines continue to the present. While colored glass was still being produced to fill special orders, not many new colors were added. The last known colored art glass sale by Steuben was in the early 1940s.

New Glass Formula

In addition to the removal of colored glass from the Steuben production line, the direction forms were taking changed, as well. A new formula of glass that had been developed by Corning was more transparent and had a higher refraction index than just about any other type on the market. It resulted in designs that created a new look. Modernist and Art Deco themes were incorporated into the new pieces, and the transparency and glittering beauty of the new formula were capitalized on.

In the 1950s, a change occurred in the method of making Steuben art glass. Items were no longer cut and engraved, but formed into sculptural shapes. One of a kind decorative items were produced from the 1960s onward, increasing the demand for fine Steuben glass.

One Hundred Years of Operation

Steuben is still producing art glass, and celebrated its hundredth year of operation only a few years ago. It's the premiere manufacturer of art glass in the U.S. In July of 2008, the company was sold by Corning. The buyer was the Schottenstein Stores Corporation. However, production is slated to continue in the old factories, with the same staff. All that's changing is the management. That means that Steuben glass collectors won't have any problem getting their old favorites.

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Tags: Art Glass, corning glass, glass, glass manufacture, iridescent glass, steuben, steuben glass works