Researching and collecting glass can be a relatively finite endeavour. There are a limited number of companies, forms, availability, and sources for vintage Canadian art glass. The literature available online or in discussions often lacks proper references or sourcing, making it challenging to determine what is true. Information on companies like Chalet Glass and Lorraine Glass is more readily available; however, for EDAG, Mosaic Artistic Glass, and glass branded as Canada Art, information is scarce. The data we have allows us to build on existing ideas and connect the factual dots we can find. The struggle with Canada Art is the absence of historical records or any reliable sources to help place its history, aside from a few claims that may or may not be sprinkled with inaccuracies. Without conclusive proof from historical records, we are left to connect the dots with tangible materials provided by Chalet glass documentation and, of course, the glass itself.
Canada Art: What We Think We Know
It's suggested that art glass signed "Canada Art" is pre-Chalet branding, but what evidence do we have? Very little. Looking at the available records, we have evidence showing the name changes leading up to Chalet Artistic Glass. By examining online records from 1958 to 1960, we see that the company was named "Les Industries de Verre et Miroirs Limited" and then "Murano Glass Incorporated" from 1960 to 1962, until it finally became "Chalet Artistic Glass." A theory regarding this can be that “Canada Art” was signed into pieces being blown under either of the companies before it became Chalet, again there is no concrete evidence to back up this notion. We do know for certain there is a no documentation of a company existing under this name within that era nor do we see a trail of this name within the company name changes and closures.
The production pieces during the "Canada Art" times included items known as bowls, ashtrays, baskets, or vases. You can learn more about Chalet glass advertisements, pricing, and names here. The forms identified in 1965 advertisements are comparable to art glass with "Canada Art" branding, with a few important differences. What we do know is that Chalet glass contains at least 24% lead. Why is this important? Because it greatly affects our observations which we will dissect next.
Canada Art: What We Can Observe
Our observations help establish a production timeline thanks to the chemistry of the glass. Chemistry plays a crucial role in glass production as even a slight imbalance in minerals, soda oxides, or impurities can lead to variations in hue, clarity, or colour. Click here to learn more about Cristallo and lead-based glass. We observe that pieces signed "Canada Art" often have a particular green or grey hue, most notable in the clear glass. In 1962 when the company changed names to Chalet the clarity in clear glass improved significantly. Some lines of Chalet glass contain this greying, which suggests two possibilities: 1) it was designed during a transition period where the recipe was not finalized, or 2) it was a deliberate choice at the time to produce glass of that color hue. The reasons for this hue are speculative, but it is a starting point for identifying Canada Art versus Chalet era glass. The pieces produced under the Canada Art brand have more hue in the clear glass and an overall thicker appearance. Below, you can see examples of this hue and the type of glass used to create these pieces. Like in science, when the majority display certain characteristics, we can use those traits to organize and identify them.
Canada Art Glass Variety
Canada Art pieces have been found in various forms but in surprisingly few colors. The main color found in Canada Art pieces is purple, which is quite different from the Chalet brand. Other unique colors include but are not limited to; periwinkle which is a blue/purple hue, green, blue/teal and amber. These colours appear most frequently, suggesting they were the primary colors produced and reflected the brand's vision at the time. Canada Art pieces are often signed using a Dremel and do not bear an acid etch or sticker, which is common in Chalet brand pieces. Below is a gallery of Canada Art pieces to aid in identifying and to showcase their unique characteristics and the overall "look" these pieces have.
Canada Art Vases
The magnificent vase below was discovered in Quebec City. The seller had a table full of vintage Canadian art glass, spanning the broad spectrum from Lorraine Glass, EDAG glass vases to Bohemian glass baskets. While I've owned many pieces, there are some whose previous owners and stories I vividly recall, and this happens to be one of those pieces.
This vase is known as a whale fin vase because it resembles the top of a whale's fin. Many countries have produced this vase form, and Canada is no exception.
As the company evolved into Chalet, the form was refined. Here we have a Chalet blue-over-green whale fin vase for direct comparison to the Canada Art branded form. We can see a few subtle differences in the side pulls that lead to the clear glass "fin," with the Chalet rendition being thicker. Additionally, there is a clear difference in the base of each piece. The Chalet brand base is much wider, possibly a change made over time to improve overall glass stability, as a wider top could lead to tipping issues. Although the bases are unique and sometimes stylistic, my many conversations with glassblowers have emphasized that their main importance is stability.
The amber vase below showcases a stunning ombre´ effect, transitioning from rich caramel amber to a delicate light amber hue. The lead-tinted clear glass gives it a highly reflective quality. The vase features a three-toed base with a clear glass trail that runs from the top to the base. As your eye moves upward, it is drawn to an accented U-push, highlighting the triangular entrance to the vase's cavity.
Introducing the twist vase: the vases depicted here are two variations bearing the Canada Art signature, both in different shades of periwinkle—the preferred blue tone of Canada Art. This vase form persisted throughout the company's production and evolved over time.
The evolution of the Chalet twist vase design can be seen below. What is interesting is that the teal blue Chalet glass vase (third from the left) also contains the hue in the clear glass. I present a hypothesis that this version was made during a transitionary period when it was still the Canada Art clear glass recipe while using the Chalet Artistic Glass etching.
Canada Art Stretches
These stretches are generally extra large and extra heavy due to their thick glass. As the stretch form evolved from the Canada Art brand to Chalet, the pulls extending outward from the body became thinner. Smaller Canada Art stretches, in terms of length, are particularly hard to find. The smallest stretch discovered was 17.5" long, while they can be as large as 32" , with a possibility for sizes larger than this. You can explore general stretch sizing by clicking here to access the sold records. The saturation of purple varies, but the color itself remains fairly consistent. The base is squat with four individual feet that branch upward at an angle. Here are three examples of purple Canada Art stretches.
Now that we have absorbed the style of Canada Art stretches, below I present a very small sampling of Chalet etched stretches. Just from this small showing we can see the clear stylistic changes that occured. As previosuly mentioned, the pulls got thinner, the overall glass is thinner and lastluy the base has becomes more pronounced. The first two (purple and teal/blue) stretches share more similarities to Canada Art than the last two depicted here.
Canada Art Gondolas
These Canada Art glass gondolas showcase two different forms. Both have downward U-pushes on the toes of the base, but the gondola directly below features tooling that defines and separates the base from the body. The blue gondola below has a deep color saturation in the center of the body cavity, transitioning to a lighter periwinkle hue as it extends to create the arms, resulting in a softened colour effect. Interestingly, the color doesn't run all the way to the tips of the arms, stopping approximately 1 inch from each point.
The second gondola form and the cigar ashtray pictured below were obtained in Drummondville, QC, during yet another memorable glass run. It all started with a late morning drive on a sunny day. As I turned down the street and found the house, a "for sale" sign ("à vendre") stood outside a well-above-average home with white brick and a long, curving walkway to the door. I can still visualize the door—it appeared heavy and larger than standard size. A well-dressed woman with short grey hair opened it. She shared a beautiful story about her father and how he had acquired the pieces in Quebec City during the late 1950s, early 1960s. She was just a young girl but she remembers these pieces adorning her parents home for her entire life. She was nervous I couldn't carry them both to my car at the same time due to their combined weight and I believe her attachment to them still.. As I walked them to the car, with the sun intensifying their colour, I was amazed.
The gondola above is thick and robust throughout, with minimal tooling on the body, providing little flow or movement. Its base is supported by downward U-pushes in a unibody design, unlike the first gondola, which features tooling that defines and separates the base and body. The unibody design is more common for gondolas. Variations have been found without U-pushes, resembling the base of the purple cigar ashtray that follows.
Canada Art Ashtrays
I do not regret passing along pieces to other collectors, but this piece I do regret re-homing. The saturation of colour in this ashtray is exceptional, and it holds a special place in my glass repetoire. Known as a cigar ashtray due to its larger "butt" rest, which alllows it to comfortably hold a cigar, unlike smaller ashtrays meant for cigarettes.
As the company transitioned to Chalet branding, the cigar ashtray remained in production, but its appearance changed drastically. This evolutionary process, seen in all Canada Art to Chalet glass pieces, may have been driven by stylistic purposes or a gradual refinement aimed at creating pieces with less glass.
The comparison between the two styles is evident. The purple Canada Art cigar ashtray is thicker from its body to its single upward pull. In contrast, the blue, amber and red/orange Chalet pieces are thinner, this is especially noticeable in the pull. They also have a more defined base, sometimes featuring the a two "toe" design.
Canada Art Platters
Canada Art also produced a platter which resembles the cigar ashtray but is much larger and lacks any "butt" rests. It also features a more shallow body cavity and is perched above a base with three segments (amber platter below). This form was also carried through to the Chalet brand but again had evolved to a thinner glass style and the base has elonated and turned into three "toes" (see orange platter below).
Canada Art: Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the world of vintage Canadian art glass collecting is a fascinating yet challenging endeavour. With a limited number of companies, forms, and sources available, piecing together the history and evolution of these pieces requires careful observation and deduction. The scarcity of information on companies like EDAG, Mosaic Artistic Glass, and Canada Art adds an element of mystery to the pursuit. Despite these challenges, the journey of researching and collecting these glass pieces offers a unique insight into the craftsmanship and artistry of Canadian glassmakers. Through meticulous observation and comparison, collectors can uncover hidden gems and contribute to the preservation of this rich artistic heritage.
