Made for only two years, 1952 & 1953, this decanter, design #972 in seeded Chartreuse is perhaps the best example of Anderson's work for Blenko. Why the best? Because it is a transitional design that clearly demonstrates the depth of his understanding of refined functional forms while at the same taking this understanding of form into a purely sculptural space.

To parse the design, it is an evolution of his classic and extremely successful - iconic even - #920 design. The basic 920 form of course saw much play at the hands of Anderson (think of the 948 "bent neck" decanter and later the 999 ships decanter). He believed in an exclusive "rightness" of form for glass (p.6 of his essay "Off Hand Glass for Production), with the teardrop shape being inherently natural and primary. In this #972 we have the teardrop from in both the stopper and the body.

In the echoed shape of the stopper and the body we also see Anderson 's revelation of the importance of scale by playing the pleasingly disproportionately minuscule solid stopper off of the large, inflated body. Scale, in fact, was a formal element that Anderson used quite sparingly out of respect for the need for functionality and due to his aversion to showmanship, yet here he has found a way to emphasize scale while avoiding the pitfalls. The decorative circular handle is also a nod to the importance of scale as it affects functionality; at this size clearly the handle is of no use beyond decoration. Prior to this design, such an indulgence on Anderson 's part was utterly avoided.

The elegant bell-like flare of the lower body contrasting with the thin, extenuated neck, in their clear contrast add an undeniable drama to the form. This is less a decanter than an evocation of a decanter as a sculpture, right down to the detail of the pulled, pointed lip, which, in truth, is a decorative flourish as surely as the handle is. For one design to contain so many hints at a designer's process and thoughts is truly a rarity, for the embodiment to be as elegant and pleasing as this is, just icing on the cake. The color could also not be more appropriate as it was Anderson 's signature color, his personal favorite and the first color he added to the line. Without a doubt this is an essential addition to a serious Blenko collection.