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How to Date a Steuben Paperweight

Effectively dating the age of a Steuben paperweight requires knowing a brief history of the company's four major design periods, each of which coincided with a different lead designer or design team. Frederick Carder, who cofounded the company in 1903, produced luminous, almost radiant glass known as Aurene. In 1918, Steuben was bought by Corning Glassworks, which eventually replaced Carder with Sidney Waugh, who helped create the notably clear "M10" glass. In 1940, the company worked with a roster of famous designers, including Henri Matisse and Salvador Dali, producing highly distinctive paperweights. In the 1950s, Walter Teague developed abstract designs.

Instructions

    • 1

      Examine the paperweight to determine the shape. Decide if the paperweight has a symmetrical or asymmetrical shape. Symmetrical pieces will primarily originate from the Carder or Teague periods; asymmetrical shapes will primarily originate from the Waugh or Matisse/Dali periods.

    • 2

      Examine the luminosity and opacity of the glass. Determine if the glass has a "radiant" quality, as opposed to an exceptionally clear crystal appearance. The Aurene glass seems to glow, while the M10 glass is noted for its unprecedented clarity. Date paperweights that glow with a manufacture date between 1903 and 1933; clear paperweights should be dated post-1933.

    • 3

      Note any further features on the paperweight, such as art deco patterns, abstract patterns or animal patterns such as gazelles or astrological signs. Date art deco patterns to the 1920s, abstract patterns to the 1950s, and gazelle/zodiac patterns to 1935.

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