DESCRIPTION: Steuben solid glass ball luminor with controlled bubble design on a black glass electrified base.
Solid lead glass with controlled bubbles.
Signed on the bottom with block letters "STEUBEN"

Reference:
Shape # 6821, p. 208 Paul V. Gardner.
Pictured at Ill. 104, p. 69 of Paul V. Gardners, The Glass of Frederick Carder bubbles in glass have long annoyed glass makers striving for clear, flawless glass. Carder loved bubbles--he said they gave life to the metal, and he often used them decoratively either in controlled designs(Ill 104) or random arrangements(Ills. 105, 106).

In Collectors Choice Review, Number 29 by The Rockwell Museum, it states:
Carder was quick to respond, and around 1928 he introduced Steuben's luminors. He created variations using the basic shapes of a round ball and a pineapple. The gaffer would place a gather of glass in a nail mold, whose interior projections created a pattern of indentations on the surface. A subsequent gather of glass would trap air bubbles. Each luminor came equipped with a base in the form of a square black block with a low wattage bulb inside. A hole in the top of the glass base allowed the light to shine upward, illuminating the ball or pineapple. Special effects were achieved by placing colored half discs in such a way as to light the luminor in an array of colors.

In American Art Nouveau Glass by Albert Christian Revi at. P. 177 the author states:
Bubble-balls, large and small, were produced at Steuben. Some have large air-blebs included as part of the interior decoration. These were made in the 1930s and l9140s, and were sometimes mounted on metal or glass bases to be used as Luminors.
Also, see Fig. 363 p. 178 showing a crystal bubble-ball lamp on heavy brass base, a part of the authors collection.
Shown in Steuben's 1932 catalogue, p. 15 as Luminor Ball (5 large bubbles in bottom) crystal with black base ball only, retail $15.00.

Provenance:
Estate of Mr. & Ms. Alan Shovers
Acquired 4/14/01 from dealers Anzardos Fine Arts of Hallandale, FL

CIRCA: 1930s

DIMENSIONS: (Ball) H: 4.75" x D: 4.5" (On Base) H: 7.25" x D: 5"

CONDITION: Chip underneath ball and at base. Normal signs of age. See lot description for details on item condition. More detailed condition requests can be obtained via email (info@akibaantiques.com) or SMS (305) 333-4134. Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Akiba Antiques shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.