When Was Lutz Named Lutz, And Why?

[Steph]

Here's a brief version of what I've typically heard on the subject.

http://www.kovels.com/priceguide/kovels_lutz/

Is that accurate? It doesn't mention gold-looking glass there. Did he use it?

When was the name "lutz" popularized for glass, and when did it start being used for marbles?

Thanks!

edit: I vaguely remembered some sort of dispute about the name, and now I remember I've asked about it before. Now trying to digest the material presented when I asked before. But will leave this question here.

[richsantaclaus]

Goldstone is a glass rock that is compatible with other glass.

Because this person, Lutz, seemed to be the first person known to include it in his work, he received the honor of the name for the glass.

Modern marble makers just call it Goldstone.

[Steph]

That's the basic story I've heard most often. However, there's a competing explanation for the name - that it was a misspelling of Loetz.

A little about Loetz:

Loetz was the premier Bohemian art glass manufacturer during the Art Nouveau period (or Jugendstil, as it was called in German-speaking countries) from roughly 1890 to 1920. Founded in 1840 by Johann Loetz in what is now the Czech Republic, the company became known for its innovative techniques, organic forms, and bold use of color.

Source: About Antique Loetz Art Glass

And here's a link Galen posted before with some sparkly pictures. Loetz: Tiffany twisted, the Mercedes bends

[popeyecollector]

Bert Cohen once told me and further readings confirm: a) The inclusion of goldstone (probably copper) containing strands of glass in many sorts of Victorian glassware was not invented by, but was skillfully used by Nicolas Lutz and other glass craftsmen working at the Boston Sandwich Glass Company: 1870-88. The Sandwich factory dumps have been excavated and no evidence has been found that indicates that Lutz type marbles were ever made there.

Seems like the glass chemists in Venice developed goldstone then passed the technology on to the marble factories around Lauscha. The glass making industry has a long history of thefts of glass formulae and technology as craftsmen moved from factory to factory. Would not be surprised if the Germans imported goldstone and colored glass from Venice as some of the Jabo investors do today!

no braid

[Steph]

Here's what I learned in response to the email S.O.S. I sent out about early marble ads:

In the first decade of the 1900's, the gold-colored marbles were referred to by such names as "Klondike Gold Nugget" (1903) and "Genuine Glass Klondike" (1904). In German the spellings included Klondiche and Klondyche.

In the early 1910's, U.S. and Canadian advertisements included descriptions such as "Fancy Gold Band Marbles", "Gold Band Alleys" and "Fine Gold-Band Glass Marbles". The name Klondike was still in use by German marble makers at that time and later.

In the 1960's [edit: and 1950's] they were being called "Sandwich Glass Marbles". And this may have been the time when the term Lutz came into use [edit: for marbles], because of the supposed Sandwich Glass connection. [Edit: Baumann records the first known use of the word Lutz for marbles as 1968.]

edit: "Lutz glass" was in use for collectible items from the Sandwich works by at least 1939. That's not marbles though.

[i'm still digging so this post might get more edits.]