Fisherman's Magic

6 3/4" Height In this sculpture, James Houston shows an Inuit tradition in which the caught fish are arranged with their heads toward the ice hole, so that their souls may return to the sea. For more than 100 years, Steuben has been at the forefront of glass design, balancing state-of-the-art technological advancements with centuries-old traditional glassmaking techniques. Founded in 1903 by English glassmaker Frederick Carder, Steuben is an American company named after Steuben County, New York, where the design studio and glassworks facility are still located. The company was acquired by Corning Glass Works (now Corning Incorporated) in 1918, and in 1933, Arthur A. Houghton, Jr. was appointed Steuben's president. Soon after, he revolutionized the art glass industry with the introduction of clear Steuben crystal -- a new optical glass of unparalleled brilliance and purity formulated by Corning Glass Works scientists. This new formula for extraordinarily pure glass, crafted by the most talented and accomplished designers and glassmakers in the world, has made Steuben the preeminent maker of fine glass internationally. Houghton's profound belief (still one of the driving forces at Steuben today) was that the unique partnership of designer and glassmaker is catalyst to the conception of visionary designs that literally push the art of glassmaking to the edge of creative expression. In Houghton's day as now, Steuben has had but one ideal -- to make the finest glass the world has ever known, with strict adherence to distinctive design and to the "hand methods" of forming, polishing and engraving. At a time when value is increasingly important, Steuben continues to deliver unsurpassed quality, superior craftsmanship, and unerring attention to design and detail. From graceful, fluid forms sculpted in molten crystal to complex designs cut or engraved on the cooled glass, each perfect piece has earned its characteristic signature in diamond point: Steuben.