Profiles of Master Craftsmen & Artisans

It is now going on four years since the Fenton / Rossi collaboration of 2003 - 2004.   A "special touch" was desired to commenorate Fenton's 100th anniversary in 2005. 

One of their most notable achievements was the development of very special "off hand" glass and very exotic decorative treatments and colors.  Off hand simply means that the item was not blown into final shape by use of a mold.  All shaping was accomplished by use of hand tools and the artist's dexterity and talent working with the semi molten "gather" of glass.  Because the artist is not contrained by a molds shape, he is free to express his inner most thoughts sometimes leading the design and sometimes following where the molten form seems to be heading.  One thing is definate.....each piece is individual.  Unique to the point of being "one of a kind"!  As such, they are "works of art" in every respect.

Fenton went looking for a talent that was noted for these attributes.  They found their man in the person of Angelo Rossi.

Angelo Rossi had a full life of achievement working in glass. Born in Venice, Italy he worked in the glass industry beginning as a very young man. Advancing through many steps, he earned recognition as a craftsman with exceptional talents.  Eventually, he migrated to Canada where he established his own firm "Rossi Glass".  In recent years, he left this business to travel and continue his love for off hand glass.  It is during this time frame that Fenton approached him on a collaboration to enhanse their soon to be 100th anniversary. 

It appears that the arrangement was for a limited engagement but it was left "open ended" to see, more or less, what happens.  Angelo was given a "shop" of assistants and a location in the plant where he would be showcased while he produced his off hand art. If you ever took the plant tour, it moves along at a fair speed.  However, it always seemed to stall at the Rossi area for here you could witness the complete creation of art glass only a couple feet in front of you.  Of course, it must also be said that Angelo was quite a showman!  He loved what he was doing and it showed!  He "worked" his audiance with "chatter" and when the piece was finished, his admirers often would burse into spontanious applause....for which he would acknowledge with a smile and a nod of his head. The audience loved it ..... and, I suspect, so did Angelo! 

The "plan" seemed to be these very special pieces of art would be sold through the gift shop primarially during 2005's Centennial. I am told that several hundred selections were produced during Angelo's just over one year residence.  And, except for a couple dozen pieces that we purchased for our shop and almost two hundred selections discovered in Frank Fenton's office and closet plus   some offered on QVC, that is where they were sold.  

Now comes the "good part"!  Collectables Unlimited purchased these remaining cloistered Rossi pieces discovered during the spring of 2006 as the family was refitting Frank's office and closet.  Tom Fenton contacted us to see if we may be interested in their purchase since we had purchased previously for our shop.  The long story ended with a "yes"!   All 175 selections!

 

Above photo & copy is a reproduction of the CD Catalog cover. We plan to celebrate this remarkable collabroation (a genuine piece of Fenton history) through this effort.

 

Carl Radke

Our first venture into STUDIO GLASS is represented by artisan Carl Radke and his PHONEX STUDIOS.  He is bringing the once prevalent techniques and artistry of the glass industry's  golden age to us for full appreciation of the demanding, labor intense and unique treatments  developed during the reign of Tiffany, Carder and the like. 

Introducing Carl Radke and Phonex Studios

               of Harmony, California

 

 

Carl Radke was one of a vanguard of young artist who participated in the Renaissance of America Art Glass in the early 1970's. Originated by Tiffany in 1881 and popular during the early part of the nineteenth century, LUSTRE ART GLASS had fallen out of favor after about 1925 and had practically become a lost art.  The art programs of several California universities began to rekindle interest in glassblowing in general and in Silver Lustre Art Glass specifically, in the latter part of the 60's.  Several of the young artists became caught up in the challenge of re-discovering this complex and sophisticated art form.

Lustre Glass is a very specialized glassblowing medium.  Because of the silver content in the glass, it has always been one of the more costly produced.  In addition to the high cost of the raw materials used in Lustre Glass, other factors prevent this volatile sutdio glass from being mass produced in a large factory environment.  The raw glass can only be maintained in the oven for a short period of time before the color, quality and texture of the glass batch begins to degenerate.  Not only the specific formulas and high raw material cost, but the experience and technique of maintaining this volatile form of glass in a usable state has kept the blowing of Silver Lustre Art Glass in the hands of a limited number of skillful artisans.  The glassblower must be a chemist as well as craftsman to work successfully in this medium.

Carl Radke is one of this limited number of glassblowers in the USA who continues to work in this difficult and traditional glass.  His skill with glass and glass decoration has allowed him to "play" the medium and to develop unique "off hand" offerings for his collections.  Carl maintains his studio and showrooms in the town of Harmony, California.  His highly collectable glass is shown in glass galleries throughout American.  He offers design "themes" but every piece truly is an original and is appropriately identified and signed by the artist.

Always interested in expanding our lines of quality glass for our customers, Collectables Unlimited became enamored with Carl's  work when it was presented to us.  Immediately, we ordered a small sampling of items, including an all glass lamp, to inspect more closely.  We were actually dumbfounded when the ordered pieces arrived.  They far exceeded our expectations!  Up to this point we resisted jumping into the "Studio Glass" arena.  However, with the trend of our customer base to the high end "Collector Glass", it would no longer appear to be such a "leap" to go all the way to Studio Glass in our offered lines.  We have grown to become one of Fenton's largest dealers in their high-end glass so we felt the time was right to bring this line to you, our great collector friends and customers.