Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Canada => Topic started by: antiquerose123 on November 15, 2011, 06:20:30 AM
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Hi there:
Over the years I have stumbled upon things that look like Chalet glass but where signed on the bottom with Canadian Glass Art or Canada Art Glass. This is not the first time in about 5 years that I have seen this. Just saw one at an Auction here....
Who are they? What is the missing link here? Where do they fit in all of this. Again, I did once find some info also about this company as they were down East, and were competing with Chalet Glass....but that info was found a long time ago, and do not remember where I even saw it.
I just figured it was nonsense.....but over the last 5 years, I have seen a few pieces marked this way. I have been steering clear of them, just for the fact of the unknown. The next one I find, I will purchase as I want to see if there is a missing link about this company. They appear to be very well made -- and I am just wondering. Anyone else heard this, or have seen it?
thanks :kissy:
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Rose:
Nobody knows who or what signed glass "Canadian Art Glass." None of the guys who worked at Chalet had heard of it, although they knew all the other companies very well (Lorraine, EDAG, Chantilly). The signature is so bad that there was some thought that somebody had marked it for their own collection, but too much of it turns up all across Canada. The glass itself is of decent quality. A mystery yet to be solved.
David
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Found this article "...After I left Sheridan College in 1976, I moved to Calgary and went on to work for Canadian Art Glass - a company that at the time, did not have very many clients and were looking to increase their exposure. I was initially hired on as Production Manager, which soon channeled me into my next position as General Manager. While there, I helped open markets in the United States and established fifteen new major accounts that would soon carry Canadian Art Glass. I stayed there for two years until the company packed up and moved to Ontario. I had just bought a house in Calgary and decided that I didn't want to move back to Ontario so I left Canadian Art Glass (and thank God because within a year they were out of business!) ..." that is on this page:
http://www.robertheld.com/company_history.html (http://www.robertheld.com/company_history.html)
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Decoqueen:
Thanks for the information, the first real factual piece I've seen. I'll pass on the link to someone who is very involved in the history of Chalet and has been trying to find out about Canadian Art Glass for a few years.
Robert Held, btw, has had a furnace in Vancouver for many years.
Again, many thanks.
David
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Found this article "...After I left Sheridan College in 1976, I moved to Calgary and went on to work for Canadian Art Glass - a company that at the time, did not have very many clients and were looking to increase their exposure. I was initially hired on as Production Manager, which soon channeled me into my next position as General Manager. While there, I helped open markets in the United States and established fifteen new major accounts that would soon carry Canadian Art Glass. I stayed there for two years until the company packed up and moved to Ontario. I had just bought a house in Calgary and decided that I didn't want to move back to Ontario so I left Canadian Art Glass (and thank God because within a year they were out of business!) ..." that is on this page:
http://www.robertheld.com/company_history.html (http://www.robertheld.com/company_history.html)
Super info there :hiclp:
I was not finding anything much, and always was wondering about this company - thus why I posted the post here. Would be interesting to find something out about this *missing link* about Canadian Glass. I have to agree to it looks like well made Glass too. Now that I am on the look-out for a piece, probably will not find any.
Hmmmm, Sounds like they were from (or started) at Calgary, Alberta by this quibble of a quote.....then moved to Ontario. Very Interesting Note you have provided!!!
Thanks deco.queen!! :thup:
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Hello
A Canadian topic lost in the USA section, pity! :thud:
Everything that I can find on Canadian Art Glass in Calagary mentions glass sheets for selling into the stained glass market. I have submitted a question for Mr. Held on the history of the firm and if they made any Chalet-like products.
Sid
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Let me look at a few Henderson Directories next time I'm at the central library and see what I can find. Alternatively, Mr. Held does sell at a local store that has been around for almost as long. I know one of the managers there, I can ask Don what he might know.
Carolyn
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Hello
A Canadian topic lost in the USA section, pity! :thud:
Everything that I can find on Canadian Art Glass in Calagary mentions glass sheets for selling into the stained glass market. I have submitted a question for Mr. Held on the history of the firm and if they made any Chalet-like products.
Sid
Sure would be good to find some true history on this Glass works.....and start to document its glass too, as a Missing link.
** MOD - can we add Canadian Glass to the Topic Category, or a sub-topic of this link...or however you want to do it. I think the Canadian glass needs it tag word too.
Thanks, just MHO too :thup: ;D
Might be worthy to do that since there appears to be not much on Canadian Art Glass Company at all on the NET..... Us ( the GMB) might be the first place to start some *detailed unknown History* of this company nobody knows much about -- even here in Canada.
GMB is a Research board on all types of Glass....lets be the first to try to Solve this Puzzle of this Canadian Glass company with not much history ATM, and possibility build on that here.
Thanks
:ooh:
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I have submitted a question for Mr. Held on the history of the firm and if they made any Chalet-like products.
I have heard from Mr. Held: "Yes, I worked for Canadian Art Glass from 1976 - 78. It was Canada's only hand-rolled sheet glass factory. We employed about 10 - 12 workers."
It would seem that they were not the source of the Chalet-like pieces so we need to keep looking.
Sid
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Darn! Did he know of any markers for art glass?
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Some Canada Art Glass has turned up dated 1962 so that would seem to put Calgary definitely out of the picture.
David
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David
This discussion pertains to a period which is long after the time frame that I am most comfortable with (1870 - 1920) so bear with me as I try to summarize what seems to be the available information about Canada Art. Keep in mind that I can only find three examples on the internet on which to base these thoughts.
1. The signature "Canada Art" appears on a relatively small number of pieces made in the same style as Chalet Artistic Glass, Lorraine, etc.
2. The signature is engraved.
3. Canada is script in all three examples (that I can readily find) ie written. Art varies between each example script (one example) and letters (two examples once ART, once Art)
4. Canada Art could be the maker or a retailer. Most likely the first as the pieces cannot be assigned to Chalet or Lorraine so the maker is unknown.
5. Canadian Art Glass of Calgary is not the maker (wrong company name, wrong product)
6. None of the ex-Chalet workers have heard of Canada Art.
7. The time frame is likely 1960s.
Are there more "facts" we should be considering?
Sid
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Sid,
That sums up pretty much my understanding, although, like you, my interest in Canada Art Glass is peripheral to my main interests. As far as I know, pieces have turned up in Ontario, Calgary and Vancouver, but with Canadian's pattern of geographic mobility that doesn't tell us too much. I understood that the Chalet workers not only hadn't heard the name, they also didn't recognize the pieces.
I'm going to send a link to this thread to Deborah, who runs the Chalet website, as she's the expert here. I'm sure she's be very interested.
David
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Hi again Sid, David and Rose,
The mystery of Canada Art continues. I went to Cornwall the past weekend and spent the afternoon with three Chalet Maestri. I took the Canada Art cigar bowl that I have with me. I had never shown it to Maestro Panizzon or Maestro Gatto - Gianfranco had seen it before. The other 2 concurred with Gianfranco's opinion - while they felt that the glass was professionally made, the signature is not. Indeed as Sid has pointed out - very often it is inconsistent. To add to that - I have a piece that is signed twice on the base. Moreover, I found a vase outside Calgary last year that was dated as well. When I put the Chalet exhibit on last year, I also spoke about Canada Art to Mario Panizzon (Bruno's son who is vastly knowledgeable about Chalet and very familiar with some of the others) and I have spoken with a glass blower from Quebec that just did his Master's thesis on the the history of glass making in Quebec. The 2 of them had never heard of Canada Art and Mario said it had never come up in any of the searches he has done on business records. Moreover, NONE of the 7 Chalet artists I have met have ever heard of it - therefore, it cannot have been an Italian Canadian glasshouse operating anywhere in Quebec or Ontario during the Chalet/Lorraine era. They knew all the workers and companies - from the cradle! In fact, they believe the piece I took down was Chalet and the pictures I showed them didn't change their opinions either. They are quick to say "Don't know" or "Not Chalet but don't know who" when they do not know so this was a very interesting discussion. However, as most of it was in Italian - no clue to the nuancesLOL
I am starting to believe from everything that I have seen, heard and found out that this is a boutique mark being done on unmarked Chalet pieces - just like the FASCINATION PAR C.M.
etching on Chalet pieces (although they also put on marked Chalet) and the Giovanni sticker you find on unmarked Lorraine pieces. Moreover, recently on my site's forum pages, a collector posted a pic of a Canada Art piece he has that has a Birks inventory label! Again - I am thinking more proof that this is a boutique. I also have a Chalet ashtray, a Chalet ashtray marked FASCINATION PAR C.M. and a Canada Art marked ashtray that may all be different colors but are identical in styling.
So my best bet at this time - boutique that marked Chalet pieces. It would be very interesting if we found pottery marked this way - Tex Novelty, Chalet's first distributor, stickered Chalet, pottery, glass... with "Roycroft" so I think I will branch out my research in that area too as that would help us with "Who, Where, What............". I think we all need to pull a library search too re old telephone books (use 1962 as that was the date on the vase) and see if we can find any companies/businesses called this.
My first experience with Canada Art was in Ontario - bought the ashtray mentionned above and was gloating as was gorgeous purple (very rare re Chalet) and didn't see the signature till got home. I though it was someone with a shaky hand and an engraver that were marking their collection for insurance! Just about fell over when found second piece - coincidentally also purple. Since then have seen blue, amber and green. Have seen ashtrays, long arms, cigar bowl and vases.
Again - this topic comes up alot on the site forum and are some great pics there.
Fun to have a mystery to solve!
Deborah
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Thanks for the info, and queries on this topic...
I have yet to buy a piece marked -- but I would say over the years here I have probably seen about 10-12 pieces in the last 20 years or so. Yes, they remind me of Chalet Glass, but I never bought them because I just did not know who Canadian Art Glass was. The very nice piece I find, I will buy as I am curious too. I guess the more pieces we can find (and buy) might help to solve the puzzle...........maybe ????
So I wonder if they could be from somewhere out West area ?? or not?? We all know Winnipeg made Seetusee Glass, so might have their been a company from there that did this for a short time.
I do not know -- but I do know I have seen pieces over the years marked that way. Would like to see if we could Solve the mystery, or IF there is a *missing link* somewhere...
:huh:
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Hi Rose,
Just to be clear - Canadian Art Glass does not appear to be Canada Art. I know there was also a company in Calgary called Continental Glass that worked there in the 1960/1970's. Canadian Art Glass moved to Ontario for its final year of business in the 1970's. The Chalet artists had never heard of it either or didn't know of any Muranese blowers that worked there.
Deborah