Steuben Design: A Legacy of Light and Form - Hardcover

Madigan, M. J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0810946459 ISBN 13: 9780810946453

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, 2004

Synopsis

For one hundred years Steuben has represented the epitome of American crystal - internationally acclaimed, a gift of presidents and treasured possession of collectors. But not everyone who can afford to buy Steuben crystal intuitively appreciates its quality, history, and inherent value. Steuben Glass: A Legacy to Share dispels the mystery and introduces in compelling words and striking images the colorful history, artisanship, quality, and enduring value infused in every piece of Steuben glass. Images tell the Steuben story in this volume: vintage photographs reveal its history; journalistic shots chronicle the painstaking process of designing, forming, finishing, and engraving a piece of Steuben by hand; and still-life images present the sculptural beauty of current master works. New photographs commissioned especially for this book, historical photography from Steuben's vast archive, and brief introductory texts and extended captions are seamlessly integrated through an innovative, sophisticated design to reflect Steuben's new, forward-looking approach as it launches into its second century.

About this title

About the Author:

Mary Jean Madigan served as editor-in-chief of several magazines including Art & Antiques, Hospitality Design, and Interiors, and has edited or contributed to 19th Century American Furniture, Prints and Photographs, and American Folk and Decorative Art.

From Publishers Weekly:

The current popular resurgence of mid-20th century design presents Steuben with an opportunity to draw in a younger, design-conscious audience, and everything about this book should appeal to those readers. The volume uses artful photographs, beautiful layout and a compelling, if brief, historical narrative to make a case for Steuben pieces as iconic design objects. Steuben craftsmen use methods of production—such as catching a "gather" of molten glass in a metal cup, shaping it at the end of a blowpipe and polishing the cold piece—that are similar to those used by glassmakers for centuries. But the use of "computer-fed melting tanks have refined the ancient process" so that Steuben glass attains an "extraordinary purity and brilliance." It is this prized clarity, as well as the craftsmen’s skill at flowing shapes and detailed engraving, that have led every U.S. president since 1947 to chose a piece of Steuben crystal for an American gift of state. Photos show figures such as Martin Luther King, Queen Elizabeth and Jacqueline Kennedy receiving gifts of Steuben. While ceremonial objects such as these are, of course, inaccessible to most collectors, the book also offers examples of more modest pieces, and a short section, "Collecting Vintage Steuben," offers practical advice on acquiring Steuben glass. Running through the entire book is a beautiful photo study of Steuben form by photographer Jay Zukerkorn. 120 illustrations, 46 in full-color.
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About this edition

• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0810946459
• ISBN 13: 9780810946453
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160