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The Popular Morris Chair

The popular Arts & Crafts wooden frame recliner known as either a “Morris” chair or a “Craftsman” chair (Stickley’s version) was actually known as an “adjustable-back chair” in William Morris’ shop.

 

According to Linda Parry, author of William Morris, “Warington Taylor sketched the model for this chair in a letter to Phillip Webb in 1866, having seen it in the workshop of Ephraim Colman, a carpenter in Herstmonceux, Sussex.”

 

The chair became very popular. The design was copied, and the silhouette further simplified in America at various A&C furniture manufacturers, Gustav Stickley and the Roycroft included. The Roycroft also made a double seat version.

 

The photo is of the Roycroft double Morris chair. Source: Head, Heart and Hand by Marie Via and Marjorie B. Searl.

 

In the 1950s the Morris chair was revived and restyled using a frame made of square metal tubing  with a faux wood grain finish and loose cushions upholstered in red vinyl. This modernized Morris chair reminds me of the Virginia Slims ad phrase (of the 1960s), “You’ve come a long way, baby.”

 

- Sue

A&C Sights to See #3

Linda, one of the RCC's and the Roycroft Inn's loyal volunteers and an intrepid A&C traveler, recently managed to see three important Arts & Crafts homes in southern California all in one day - even with LA traffic! Here is the third and last house Linda visited that A&C packed day in sunny California....

#3 The Freeman House, Architect Frank Lloyd Wright:

My final stop took awhile to locate. The Freeman House was at the top of a winding hill with all sorts of signs: One Way, Go Back, For Residents Only, Only Through Traffic, Do Not Enter. I kept twisting up the hill with the ready excuse that my GPS made me do it if I was stopped. Finally, I parked in front of a house that looked like FLW but I was not sure. Walking down the street I asked a house painter who did not know, but a jogger said it was the house. As I turned to walk back, I was looking over the valley at the huge HOLLYWOOD sign on the opposite hill.

The house is not in good shape, and a recently posted sign that the water had been turned off was not encouraging. The house has suffered earthquake damage. It is one of three textile block houses built in Hollywood in the 1920s. The Freemans were friends of Aline Barnsdall (who commissioned the Hollyhock House, installment #2 in this series) and met FLW through her. This concrete block house was estimated at $12,000, but the final cost was $23,000 on Wright's "budget." It is a lot of house on a very small piece of land with concrete squares that looked like textiles. The view is breathtaking.This particular FLW house was influential in the development of modern architecture in Southern California. In 1986 the Freeman House was bequeathed to the USC School of Architecture. Hopefully it will be restored to its original beauty one of these days just as Buffalo's Darwin Martin House has been.

If you are in western NY, your A&C adventure should include the FLW buildings - Darwin Martin House, Graycliff, and the recently constructed FLW boat house - as well as the bungalows and museums of East Aurora, particularly, the Roycroft Campus, the most successful A&C community in America and a National Historic Landmark since 1986.

A&C Sights to See #2

Linda, one of the RCC's and the Roycroft Inn's loyal volunteers and an intrepid A&C traveler, recently managed to see three important Arts & Crafts homes in southern California all in one day - even with LA traffic! Here is the second building she visited that day and her observations:   

 

#2 The Hollyhock House, Architect Frank Lloyd Wright:

 

The next leg of my journey went from Pasadena to West Hollywood. Ms. Aline Barnsdall commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to develop the buildings for an innovative theatrical community in the 1920s. Aline’s father was an oil baron from Bradford, Pennsylvania. Aline was as controversial as Frank for their times. She, an unwed mother, an advocate for social injustice and a supporter of radical causes, was under the watchful eye of the U.S. government for 24 years. Without Aline, FLW might never have come to California.

 

When I asked the docent how things were between the two, she just laughed and said the usual—Wright was missing most of the time (in Japan working on the Imperial Hotel) so he sent his apprentice, Rudolph Schindler, and his son to supervise the project, which had staggering cost overruns and there were plenty of fights. According to Meryle Secrest: “She (Aline) like her architect, living outside of conventional morality, as scornful of it as he was, freed by her wealth to build a community of her imagination on a tract of land that would conspicuously proclaim her freedom from  petty constraints and flaunt her unconventionalism before the world.” (Frank Lloyd Wright Biography p.267) Wright had met his match!

 

The Hollyhock House is named after Aline's favorite flower. It is in pristine condition with a remarkable combination of house and gardens. While strolling on the site known as Olive Hill I talked to a potter and observed a yoga class in progress. The building is surrounded by a modern theater, galleries and a studio, the centerpiece of a functioning art complex that Aline had originally envisioned.

 

If you are in western NY I recommend you start your A&C adventure on the Roycroft Campus in East Aurora where you will an equally impressive complex of buildings, artisans and A&C inspiration!

 

A&C Sights to See #1

Linda, one of the RCC's and the Roycroft Inn's loyal volunteers and an intrepid A&C traveler, recently managed to see three important Arts & Crafts homes in southern California all in one day - even with LA traffic! Here is installment number one with her observations:  

#1 The Gamble House (1907-1909), Architects Greene & Greene:

  

My husband was attending a conference in Anaheim and I decided to hit the road for an Arts and Crafts adventure. Heading north to Pasadena, my first stop was the Gamble House. Don’t let the GPS fool you; the estimated time for distance driven in LA traffic is a dream. The Gamble House was built for David and Mary Gamble of the Procter and Gamble Co. Every detail of the house contributes to the design. The docent there used a laser light to make sure we caught details that we would otherwise have missed. The entry door is an exotic Tiffany stained glass oak tree, beautiful both inside and out and changes with the light of day. The Gamble House store is located in the original garage. The garage/store has the same incredible details as the house. An original gas pump is used to display some of their wares.

 

The Roycroft Copper Shop carries many of the same A&C ceramics, tiles, books and periodicals  as the Gamble House gift shop, but it is three times larger. The incredibly knowledge and helpful staff at the Gamble House also reminded me of our very own friendly Copper Shop staff. This house was a great start to my A&C adventure. If you are in western NY I recommend you start your A&C adventures on the Roycroft Campus in East Aurora!

 

GIFTS FOR JUNE BRIDES AT THE COPPERSHOP GALLERY

 June is here and at least one bride-to-be has just registered her bridal gift wishes at the Roycroft Copper Shop Gallery.  What better place to select exactly those lovely items for a new home, for giving and receiving.  New items added almost daily.  We suggest registering for birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions as well.

                                            

Claudia
 

Roycroft Winter Festival Is This Weekend In East Aurora, New York

The Roycroft Winter Festival will be at the East Aurora Middle School, 430 Main St., East Aurora, New York and is directly across the street from the Roycroft Campus.  There will be a wide variety of craftsmanship:  from paintings and screen prints to pottery, jewelry, stained glass, woodworking and much more from the Roycroft Juried Artisans (plus food and holiday music.)  Admission is $1.00 per person.

If you have ever asked the question, "How do they do that?", you may find the answer at this show.  Artisans will also be stopping in at the decorated Roycroft Copper Shop Gallery, 31 S. Grove St., this weekend.

The show is from 10:00am to 5:00pm both Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th.  Look for the statue of Elbert Hubbard at the school.   Sponsored by the Roycrofters At-Large Association.  We hope to see you!

Claudia

Hubbard Pleads to His Customers!

Elbert Hubbard did not like the term "mission" when applied to the output of his shops, pleading that consumer's not "class our products as Mission," or so called 'Mission Furniture.'

"Ours is purely Roycroft--made by us according to our own ideas.  We have eliminated all unnecessary elaboration, but have kept in view the principles of artistic quality, sound mechanical construction and good workmanship."

The above statement and other Roycroft information can be found in the wonderful book titled, "Head, Heart and Hand Elbert Hubbard and The Roycrofters" by Marie Via and Marjorie B. Searl.  We always have copies in The Copper Shop Gallery, 31 S.Grove St., East Aurora, NY., and I often browse through the shop's copy to answer customer's questions and also, mine. 

If any readers are fortunate to own Roycroft furniture, please respond in "comments" to me about your treasure.  Photos would be a bonus. 

Claudia

Arts & Crafts Words to Live By

Every Monday on this blog we post insightful and pithy quotes from Elbert Hubbard. I am sure some touch your heart, some make you grin and some probably make you roll your eyes. But has there ever been one that inspires you? Helps you make it through your day?

One trend in decorating right now is placing words and sayings on your walls. One company Wall Words even has a wonderful arts & crafts font.

Can't you just image a great quote above your fireplace, or over your entry door?

 

The company wall words has many quotes to chose from or you can custom order your favorite saying.

Speaking of decorating...Did you know the Roycroft Copper Shop has authentic stencils that were common in arts and crafts homes? Did you know we have stunning pillows to add to your bed or sofa?  We will be glad to help you accessorize your home. Come see us.

Julie

The arts & crafts dog

It seems like a lot of my friends are getting dogs and puppies lately. (Not us. We are a cat family). Did you know that is was not uncommon for dogs and cats to be on the Roycroft Campus. I have seen an old photo of a cat at the back door of the Inn and I have seen an old photo of a guest holding a dog.

There is a breed of dog that is considered THE arts and crafts dog. It is the airedale.

 

This breed of dog was very popular from 1904 to 1922.

We know that Bert Hubbard (Elbert's son) always had Airedales. We know one of them was named "Red". I think a good name for an Airedale is "Hubbard". What do you think?

Julie

Another Incredible Arts & Crafts Destination

The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works in Doylestown, PA is delightful. Founded in the early 1900‘s and built by Henry Chapman Mercer, a wealthy amateur archaeologist, this fantastical structure continues to produce tiles from Mercer’s original designs. The tour is self guided, which allows one to throughly explore the nooks and crannies and ask questions of the artisans while they work. 

Next door is Mercer’s exotic mansion of his own design consisting of a jumble of stacked rooms with contorted connecting staircases. The building is entirely constructed of concrete and decorated throughout with tiles from the factory. The tour feels like a trip through an Escher maze - up and down on narrow stairways to odd little rooms chock full of interesting artifacts. 

Mercer also collected tradesmen’s tools and created a museum to house all of these artifacts of “modern” man. That building is in downtown Doylestown. He was an eccentric fellow, no doubt. But his Arts & Crafts legacy is well worth the visit to this quaint town. 

Closer to home here in WNY, the Roycroft Copper Shop has tiles inspired by The Moravian Pottery & Tile Works which have been created by the contemporary RALA artisan firm Mission Guild. The artisans are in town for the Roycroft Summer Arts Festival this weekend June 27 & 28 so stop by to see their work and that of other artisans on Campus, daily 10am-5pm; 31 South Grove Street, East Aurora. 

- Sue