Chalet Purple – A Second — Chalet Art Glass

Each team of artists (1 to 6 artists) could produce up to 70 pieces a day resulting in total daily production of 700-800 items. However, typically 25% of daily production, 175 to 200 pieces, ended up being considered not top quality. After the glass cooled, Chalet owners and Maestri Sergio Pagnin and Luigi Tedesco would inspect the glass and determine what pieces were not up to standard. They and only they determined if a piece was “Not good glass.” Some of these pieces were discarded or taken home by Chalet staff but most were sold in the showrooms of the Montreal office and Cornwall factory.

Among the most prized Chalet pieces for today’s collectors are the “the pink” and “the purple.” These Chalet pieces are highly sought after today but were considered then by the Chalet artists to be inferior glass. In their words: “Pink is a second. Cranberry that wasn’t right, not enough” or “glass that wasn’t working.” They were amazed to hear how popular these pieces are and the prices that they command.

And purple Chalet piece, in the emphatic words of all the Chalet artists I interviewed was, “Always a mistake. We didn’t make purple.” Thereby, meaning purple Chalet pieces did not result from a deliberate colour mix used in production runs. All the variations of purple Chalet, like the pink, were also considered seconds. The end result of cranberry colour that was either mixed improperly or through reactions between the gold, lead and salts or cranberry pieces that were “overcooked.” It could also result from a reaction in the crucible to cleaners or overlooked leftover colour. Remember, Chalet rotated their colours every few days and, this was done by hand, so the likelihood of improper cleaning was high.

Purple is a very volatile colour. It is well known that some purple pieces of glass will react even when simply exposed to sunlight and change colour over a period of time. Leftover cranberry colouring was being used at the end of day. More than enough time for changes in formula reactions to have occurred. Once again, the Chalet artists were amazed that these pieces are now among the most eagerly sought Chalet.

So many variations – royal purple, lavender, periwinkle, amethyst, burgundy, purple grey, plum … I am showing a few here so we can get “up close and personal” and stay tuned following these – surprise! Purple Chalet pieces have been found stickered, with the “Chalet Canada” etching and with the hand engraved ‘Canada Art” signature.,