THE WEEKEND COLLECTOR: Roycroft Copper

I became interested in the Roycroft- (a community of artisans following the Arts & Crafts style of design in East Aurora, NY in the early years of the 20th century), when our family lived in East Aurora in the 1990s. The Roycroft influence was everywhere, and it wasn't hard to fall in love with the contemporary pieces, created by craftsmen working in the arts and crafts style, as well as the authentic Roycroft pieces we would see locally. Growing up in the Pasadena area, where the Craftsman style in architecture and design is prevalent, I've had a deep love of the simple, organic, and functionally decorative style of the Arts & Crafts movement my whole life.

Although Bruce and I love all things Roycroft, the only things we have actually been able to afford are many of the books- both fine leather tooled books, and the more mass-produced publications. I've featured several collections of Roycroft and Elbert Hubbard books here on my blog. (Elbert Hubbard was the founder, and philosophical leader of the Roycroft movement).

This interesting website called Roycroft Copper, belongs to Roycroft collector David Kornacki. He fills his pages with a variety of hand-tooled copper pieces, everything from lamps, to bookends, to vases, to cigarette cases. I'll post a few photos here, and hope you check out his fascinating website, and also his Facebook page. These beautiful pieces, created by a variety of Roycroft artisans, were created from approximately 1902-1928, with the "Golden Years" being 1921-1928. You can find an informative timeline on David's website. Hope you enjoy!

COLLECTION #65: Elbert Hubbard Books

 Not to be confused with my Roycroft book collection, these books are specifically about Elbert Hubbard, or are compilations of his writings and ideas. Some are published by the Roycroft, and others by other publishers.

If you don't know who Elbert Hubbard was, I'll give you the quick Wickepedia biography: Elbert Green Hubbard was born June 19, 1856 and raised in Hudson, IL. He founded the Roycroft Artisan Community in East Aurora, New York in 1895, which was an influential exponent of the Arts & Crafts Movement. Among his many publications were the nine-volume work Little Journeys, and the short story, A Message to Garcia.  He and his wife Alice Moore Hubbard died aboard the RMS Lusitania which was sunk by a German submarine off the coast of Ireland on May 7, 1915.

My collection of Elbert Hubbard Scrapbooks and writings varies from a fine soft-leather cover published by the Roycroft, to an inexpensive version printed by the Brigham University Press in the mid 1970s.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, we became interested in Roycroft books when we were living in East Aurora, when I worked for Fisher-Price. We've found most of these books since we left the area, and they continue to be a link between us and a lovely place and time in our lives.