There are just a ton of American Contemporary paperweight and art glass makers. During the glass movement of the 1970’s – 1990s it seems that every glass blower in America opened their own studio. Some became famous and one of my many favorites is Steven Lundberg.
Steven Lundberg was born in Chicago in 1953 and moved with his family to Santa Barbara in 1958. As a young man, he worked as a telephone technician. In 1972, his creative desires led him to become an apprentic glass blower to his older brother James. James Lundberg, with fellow artists like Stuart Abelman were instrumental in the early development of the studio glass movement. Steven Lundberg can be considered the father of the Contemporary American Art Glass revival. Working as Nouveau Glass. In 1973, Steven and James formed Lundberg Studios in Davenport California. Steven’s skills continued to grow, and he developed into a master glassmaker. His talents included shaping, decorating, casting, lampworking, torchworking, and lapidary. His inventive skills as a fabricator of technical equipment gained him recognition in the world of glass-blowing. His ability to create complex glass formulas enabled him to design glass art that was and still is envied by his peers. With the untimely passing of his brother James in 1992, Steve continued his work at Lundberg Studios. In January 1997, along with his wife Ola and son Justin, Steve created his own studio in California.
In 2002 in the process of moving to his state of the art studio in Oregon, Steven was diagnosed with ALS. In 2008 the Master Glass Blower, Steven Lundberg, put down his blow pipe for the very last time. Stephen Lundberg passed away in 2008. In this talented Lundberg family, Steven’s son Justin has inherited the skills of a master glass blower. He is continuing the family tradition creating his own series of art glass. The Oregon studio was completed under the influence of Steven and new and exciting works of art are taking form . Steve’s creations are on display in many permanent collections such as The Smithsonian Institute, the White House, The Corning Museum of Glass, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, The Museum of American Glass and the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum. Steven Lundberg Glass Art is exhibited in fine galleries and catalogs worldwide.
Many of Steve’s private art glass collection pieces were released at auction soon after his death and so the likely last opportunity to buy a personal family item created from the genius, dedication, and passion of Steven Lundberg is gone. However, dedicated collectors are still buying and trading to solidify their collections of Lundberg treasures.
Steve was a pioneer of the Contemporary American Studio Glass. He was also a pioneer of the California torchwork paperweight process. His work is highly regarded. Here are some of the pieces in my collection.
Signed with Steve’s initials and dated.
Three nice favrile and iridescent Lundberg weights. Similar to Tiffany style glass. Signed Lundberg Studios and dated.
I do have a few signed by Daniel Salazar. In June of 1974 Daniel Salazar was hired as a glass grinder by Nouveau Glass, later to become Lundberg Studios. By 1975 he was working with hot glass as a helper or pontilman there. It soon became evident that he had a unique flair for design. By 1978 he had begun producing and designing his own paperweights. He was also influential in developing certain techniques in the California style paperweight lampworking process. Today Daniel has earned a fine reputation for his delicate and natural look in floral paperweights, as well as birds, underwater scenes, and abstract glass works. These same designs have also been produced in a beautiful assembly of perfume bottles, vases, and jewelry jars. Much of Daniel’s work has taken inspiration from his interest in botany and the collecting of Asian art and antiques. Since childhood, a passion for sketching and watercolor has been the source for his unique artistic development. In addition, he has attended art classes at Cabrillo College in color and design, and life drawings. His work is exhibited in museums throughout the world.
In 1974, with notable contributions from Chris Buzzini, Mark Cantor, James Lundberg and Daniel Salazar, Steve had Lundberg Studios embark on a quest to create a new type of paperweight. Finding the works of Mark Cantor is becoming more difficult with time. These two weights are very fine examples of Mark Cantor’s early paperweights. There is much more purple, blue and green iridescence in these paperweights than shown in the pictures. Much more beautiful than shown. These are amazing and historic pieces to add to any collection. Signed and dated with the Cantor and Lundberg signatures.
Lundberg Studios is famous for their World Weights and have a whole series dedicated to this theme. I have a few, specifically a 415 (Magnum) and a petite that I am selling in my eBay store.
An assortment of Steve Lundberg Vases, signed, dated and with the studio paper tag. The last one even has a Certificate of Authenticity.
You can access the Lundberg website here: www.lundbergstudios.com/info/events.html to find the beautiful pieces that were designed by Stephen and the studio his family created.
The Lundberg studios also make beautiful perfume bottles. Be sure to check out all of my paperweight and art glass collection at my eBay store “Kelekchens” Put your cursor on my assistant, the duck, and enter. That’s it for today. I have many contemporary artist to tell you about so I will be back soon. Happy collecting and remember “the best is yet to come“.
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