Chalet Dog Figurines

The international day of recognition for dogs is August 26th. It was founded by animal advocate Colleen Paige in 2004 (also the founder of National Puppy Day and National Cat Day) in celebration of all breeds, both purebred and mixed, and to raise awareness about the plight of shelter dogs.

Domestic dogs have a multi-millennia-long history of close relations with humans. This relationship has evolved gradually as according to the Oxford English Dictionary, "In the oldest proverbs and phrases dogs are rarely depicted as faithful or as man's best friend, but as vicious, ravening, or watchful." Moreover, before the 19th century, breeds of dogs, other than “lap dog”, were largely functional. They performed activities such as hunting, tracking, watching, protecting, herding, and guarding. Language describing the dog often reflected these roles. However, beginning in the 18th century, deepening in the 19th and flourishing in the 20th century, language and attitudes towards dogs began to shift toward a less utilitarian attitude. Indeed, for centuries now “Man's best friend" is a common title given to the ‘canis lupis familiaris.” The first recorded use of this phrase is by Frederick the Great of Prussia in 1789, “The only, absolute and best friend that a man has in this selfish world, the only one that will not betray or deny him, is his dog.”

In an 1870 Missouri Court case about a dog more or less made that title ‘official.” Lawyer George Graham Vest delivered his “Eulogy of the Dog“ and won the case for the plaintiff. Who was suing his neighbour for shooting his dog. This decision was appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court but in 1872 it was upheld.

“Gentlemen of the jury: the best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it the most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.

Gentleman of the jury: a man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and the sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains.

When riches take wings and reputation fall to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.

In the following centuries, a great many songs, poems, books, and essays have been written about the virtue and simple nobility of the dog. Since dogs have now been tamed to a point where they need people to survive and people view them as “friends and family”, today there is a symbiotic relationship. Mark Twain once quipped, “The dog is a gentleman,” and wrote that if admission to Heaven were based on merit, “You would stay out and your dog would go in.” The “dog poems” by American poet Ogden Nash are standard quoting material.

An Introduction to Dogs

by Ogden Nash

The dog is man's best friend.
He has a tail on one end.
Up in front he has teeth.
And four legs underneath.

Dogs like to bark.
They like it best after dark.
They not only frighten prowlers away
But also hold the sandman at bay.

A dog that is indoors
To be let out implores.
You let him out and what then?
He wants back in again.

Dogs display reluctance and wrath
If you try to give them a bath.
They bury bones in hideaways
And half the time they trot sideways.

Dogs in the country have fun.
They run and run and run.
But in the city this species
Is dragged around on leashes.

Dogs are upright as a steeple
And much more loyal than people.
Well people may be reprehensibler
But that's probably because they are sensibler.

And, Nash was nowhere near finished:

The truth I do not stretch or shove
When I state that the dog is full of love.
I've also found, by actual test,
A wet dog is the lovingest.

And lastly these immortal words once again by Nash must also seem familiar:

“A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of.”

Given all this, it is extremely surprising that Calet did only two versions of a dog. And with only minor variation in style as both are posed upright and of clear crystal. Quite the opposite from the Chalet range in cat figurines which is markedly more diverse with multiple poses, styles, colours and materials.

The two Chalet dog figurines are both shown in the 1975 Riekes Crisan General Catalog.

And both remain in the Chalet inventory listed in the later Riekes catalog. However, the assortments offered in this catalog contain different pieces and the listing number of the assortment lot in which the rarer dog figurine is offered has changed.

This Chalet” poodle dog” figurine was blown by Chalet artist Roberto De Marchi. It is shown in both catalogs as a piece in the Riekes assortments #7228-69. It is characterized by a curly top-know and long, exaggerated ears. This poodle remains in the possession of the De Marchi family.

The second figurine.

This figurine is shown above (bottom left and right) in the earlier catalog as part of Riekes Crisa assortment #7439-69. There is no top-knot and the ears are close to the head and less stylized. This second figurine is much rarer than the Chalet “poodle dog.” It is shown in the later catalog as part of assortment #82704. From the collection of Liz Crawford.

The Chalet dog figurines were distributed by Chantili and N. C. Cameron & Sons Ltd. in Canada and by Riekes Crisa in the United States. As stated above, all distribution appear to have been of figurines done exclusively in clear crystal.

Although not one of the animal figurines illustrated in this 1973 advertisement, the “poodle” is offered, on sale, by Boscov’s.

Still operating today, Boscov's Inc. is an American family-owned department store chain with fifty locations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware Maryland, Ohio, Connecticut, West Virginia and Rhode Island.

We know other glasshouses of this era created dog figurines as well.

Lorraine Glass Industries did 3 different dog figurines.

The rarest is the Lorraine “chess piece dog.”

From the collection of Deborah Patterson. This figurine has also been found with orange eyes, nose and collar.

The upright Lorraine “hound dog” figurine.

Done in different sizes and 2-tone colour combinations. However, eyes and nose are always of applied coloured glass and typically green. From the collection of 50 Shades member Ken Brewer.

And the most familiar. The vertical head-up with nose-out Lorraine “hound dog” figurine. It appears to have been done in only one size but is found in several different 2-rone colour combinations and with varying colour placement of those 2-tones. To date, there have been no solidly coloured Lorraine hound dog (of either pose) figurines found. The most typical colour combinations in which this style is found are the olive green and blue/amber. There is variation in colour saturation as well as placement. In this style, the eyes and nose are neither coloured or of applied glass. You will note that each figurine also differs slightly in appearance with regard to tilt of head, length of ears, tail size and shaping of features.

Same 2-tone colour combination but with different colour placement and also a varying intensity of shading. You will also note the difference in features and head pose.

Dog at left from the collection of 50 Shades member Dwain Robertson and dog to its right from member Darlene Spence.

This piece retains its country-of-origin label.

Photograph courtesy of 50 Shader Kevin Kodak.

Altaglass dog figurines were created in many different styles and colours. In later years, after the furnaces were shut down, production of dog figurines continued in the flamework/lampwork/rod and torch technique.

Altaglass hot oven dog figurines. They are typically found with a round, elevated disc base. May be stickered or engraved.

An extremely rare dog figurine from the amazing Altaglass collection of 50 Shades members Darcy Dietrich and Lorne Olafson.

A myriad of colours, techniques, sizes, poses and “breeds.”

These are “just a few more” from collectors Darcy Dietrich and Lorne Olafson.

Note the circled pieces.

There are some minor style similarities to the Chalet pieces shown above in that both companies had “poodle” dogs with top-knots and figurines with round heads and long drooping ears. However, the differences are much more significant.

A flamework/lampwork/rod and torch example of an Altaglass dog figurine.

Although the Rossi glasshouses are best known for their swans and elephants, Rossi Artistic Glass (Cornwall factory) made at least one dog figurine.

Photograph courtesy of 50 Shades member verymerry vintage.

EDAG made both “dog bowls” and a poodle dog figurine.

This dish is also found in another colour palette – an amber body and blue head with red ears. The piece shown here from the collection of 50 Shades member Brad McGillivray.

EDAG “poodle dog” figurines are very rarely found. They were produced in three varying sizes (7 ½” to 9 ½”), typically in an amber/blue 2-tone combination with blue applied eyes and noses. They are posed upright with the base of one style being the EDAG round disc. Their heads and noses are tilted into the air, have pronounced curly top-knot and ears, outstretched and upward paws and a very defined triangle shaped clear crystal tail. Unfortunately, I do not have photos that I am permitted to share here.

Gala Glass (Cornwall) also produced rod and torch dog figurines. See circled figurines, dogs are black with white spots, in photograph below.

You will also note the Gala Glass cat figurine at the very left in the circle. *Maestro* Otello Fuga, founder and owner, Cornwall, 1963

At this time, there is no evidence that Mosaic Artistic Glass produced dog figurines.

However, another prolific producer of the dog figurine was Jordan’s Importing Co. Like EDAG, they created both figurines and “dog bowls.” JICO also offered a “dog vase.”

The company’s dog figurines were done in a very wide variety of shapes, colours, poses and styles. Just a few examples.

Other JICO breeds.”

More pages - more styles.

I do not have a standalone photograph of their “dog bowl” or vase but they can be found on the same catalog page (see circled) as above..

The JICO dog candy dish bears no resemblancer to the dish style by EDAG shown earlier..

Murano dog figurines are extremely common. Many have marked similarities to the Canadian glass dog motif pieces. Many do not.

Maestro Archimedes Seguso did countless dog figurines in a wide range of styles, colours, poses and materials. His are typically very charming.

None of these three would be mistaken for Canadian made.

These could possibly at a casual glance.

There are many modern imposters.

Another prolific vintage European producer of the dog figurine was FM Ronneby Kontsglas. Their dogs were created in clear crystal, coloured solids, with both indented (tonged) and applied eyes and nose, upright and “paws on the ground” poses…. A multitude of pooches.

They are found both stickered or etched.

This figurine might easily be mistaken for an Altaglass made piece.

As collectors of this figurine, we must continue to search for the answer to the centuries old question, “Who let the dogs out?” We’ve managed to round a few of them up for you.

And lastly, you can also honour your fur baby in a broader sense by making a monetary donation, dropping off some food or supplies or giving your time at your local animal shelter or pet rescue sanctuary.

The Leaves

Chalet beaver figurines