The Roycrofters
01.14.08 By Derek Dahlsad
In 1893, a successful businessman named Elbert Hubbard took leave from his workaday life, and settled in East Aurora, New York. He’d been a radical thinker, using unconventional means to increase sales, but deep down he was a writer at heart. Having travelled abroad, Hubbard saw old-world craftmanship and was inspired. In England, he visited and toured the works of William Morris, a craftsman who was a leading voice in the Arts & Crafts movement. Hubbard modeled his Roycrofters upon Morris & Co. , starting with printing, but moving into other arts as time passed. Back at home, he established a print shop on his estate, and befriended or hired artisans and craftsmen, creating a style called “Roycroft” — a sort of portmanteau of “Royal” and “Craft”, indicative of Hubbard’s aestheticism and marking his work as ‘fit for a king.’
Hubbard’s first love was of books. The Roycroft Print Shop considered bookprinting and binding a fine art, not just a way to make a buck, and devoted fine craftsmanship to leatherbound books on handmade paper. In a 1910 advertisement, they offered their services for printing “family bibles, marriage certificates, cherished poems, wills, old and well-loved books, legal papers, birth certificates, [and] letters.” Hubbard’s self-interest as a writer meant having a printshop was a great asset. He self-published many books, such as
his well-received “Little Journeys” series documenting (somewhat fictionally) his travels in Europe. Hubbard was also behind a handful of magazines, such as the Philistine and the Fra. His style and wit were progressive and sharp, touching on the edge of social reform without becoming too dogmatic in his words. Hubbard offered advice on government, education, business, and art, in good humor and with intelligence.
Hubbard’s craftsmen were also adept in numerous other arts valued by the Arts & Crafts movement. He had workers in stained glass, weavers and seamstresses, metalworkers, and a team of carpenters. Hubbard’s Roycrofters were one of the largest designers of Mission-Style furniture in the United States. His business grew, his notoriety as a speaker and writer promoted his fame, and the Roycrofters became a moving force in early 20th century design and style. Hubbard, however, would not see the decline of the Arts & Crafts movement. Returning from a trip to Europe with his wife, Hubbard boarded the Lusitania in 1906 and died when it was sunk by a German submarine.
Roycroft’s shop was diligent in using the Roycroft sigil — seen above, a R in a circle with a double-cross at the top — on their works. Roycroft items are identifiable by
the mark, for the most part; some smaller items, and some printed-for-hire books and papers were not marked. In my unscientific research, prices are higher than unmarked or mass-produced artifacts of similar age, but low for a well-known name and high craftsmanship. On eBay, most of the items for sale are either books or metal furnishings; be careful when searching, because sellers will include ‘roycroft’ in the listing as a style, although the furniture did not come from the Roycroft workshops. Because of the premium of the Roycroft name, there’s value in claiming an item came from Roycroftians: be careful when purchasing an item without the Roycroft sigil, unless you can be certain of the item’s authenticity.
See Also:
- Collecting Roycroft Copper
- The Roycroft Campus
- All Things Roycroftie
- Roycroft Books
- Catalog of Roycroft products, 1911
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Article Tags: bookprint, Elbert Hubbard, Little Journeys, Mission-Style, print, Roycroft, Roycrofters, sigil================
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January 14th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Very informative! I actually have several of the books but have not had the time to read them - just a quick perusal. This fascinating article has made me want to take the time! Thanks.