Canadian Vintage Art Glass: Unraveling the Lorraine and Zeller's Connection
- lunasabrina
- Mar 10, 2024
- 2 min read
Throughout life's journey, it's often the case that pertinent details and insights tend to surface unexpectedly, particularly when one dives deeply into a subject of passion, such as glass-work or any other absorbing hobby. In my extensive experience as a researcher, the quest for answers has been a constant companion, driving me to dedicate countless years to unraveling the mysteries that elude me and sometimes others. The path to discovery is fraught with instances where answers seem perpetually out of reach, only to manifest themselves when least expected.
This phenomenon is especially pronounced in the realm of vintage or antique collectibles, which are inherently shrouded in the mysteries of their origins—encompassing the who, what, when, and why of their existence. These questions contribute to the mysterious charm that captivates enthusiasts like myself. In a recent delightful encounter, a friend and esteemed antique dealer recently entrusted me with several vintage gems, among which was a remarkable silver Tinsel tree from the iconic Canadian retailer, Zeller's.
For those unfamiliar, Zeller's etched its mark in the records of Canadian commerce as a beloved department store chain, inaugurated in 1928 by Walter P. Zeller (hbcheritage.ca). It later became a subsidiary of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1990, before the commencement of its gradual cessation in 2020 (hbcheritage.ca). My investigations, bolstered by a rich tapestry of newspaper advertisements previously discussed in my blog, have illuminated Zeller's role in the distribution of Canadian vintage art glass crafted by esteemed makers such as Lorraine, Chalet, and EDAG.
A Zeller's advertisement from 1971 featured in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, a division of Postmedia INC.
It has been established that Chalet's creations were distinguished by an array of stickers, labels, and acid etches, tailored to various distributors and retailers. With Lorraine, we recognize two distinct stickers bearing the 'Made in Canada' insignia, alongside a Lorraine sticker, a handful of boutique labels for example Cavalier, another plain Made in Canada sticker and the Giovanni’s Creations label. Historically, these stickers serve as markers of origin for the glass-works, aiding collectors, buyers, and sellers in the identification process.
However, the connection between the Tinsel tree and Zeller's introduces a fascinating twist. The tree, a product of Tinsel Manufacturing Limited, was specifically crafted for a Zeller's outlet in Sherbrooke, QC, and was packaged in a Zeller's-branded box. This box, which has been a fixture in my surroundings, inadvertently became the catalyst for an epiphany. I discovered that the 'Made in Canada' logo on the Zeller's box bore an uncanny resemblance to one of the Lorraine stickers.
Connecting these dots suggests a tantalizing possibility: the items adorned with that particular Lorraine sticker might have been produced exclusively for Zeller's retail shelves. Despite the current absence of concrete documentation to support this hypothesis, I am inclined to consider it a viable theory worthy of further exploration.
