The Steuben Glass Company (pronounced steu-BEN) was founded in 1903. Its oeuvre can be roughly divided into two periods: the Carder Period (1903–1932), and the Houghton Period (1933–2011/12). During the Carder period, named for cofounder Frederick Carder, Steuben was known for manufacturing Tiffany-esque art glass; the object in the Delaware Art Museum’s collection reflects the opaque, golden aesthetic of these early works. In 1918, facing decreasing business because of the First World War materials restrictions, Steuben was incorporated into Corning Glass, yet remained its own division under the company umbrella. During the Houghton Period (named for Steuben’s new manager Arthur J. Houghton Jr.) Steuben became known for its highly refractive transparent crystal glass. In 2009, Steuben was sold to the Ohio-based Schottenstein Stores Co., which ended production of Steuben glass in 2011. However, Corning Incorporated, which had maintained part ownership of Steuben, contracted with the Corning Museum of Glass in 2013 to continue to manufacture and sell Steuben glass, which it does to this day. Steuben glass has remained a part of culture both artistic and popular to this day. Numerous artists, including as Kiki Smith and Dan Dailey, have created designs for Steuben glass; Steuben glass has also been featured in television shows such as The West Wing and films such as Risky Business.
