The Roycroft Mark

    The original Roycroft mark:  a cross and orb, was first found by Harry Taber (of the Pendennis Press) in a book of printers’ marks published by Scribners circa 1894. It was an early Venetian printer’s mark that Harry adopted and added the “R” for “Roycroft.” 

     Of course once Elbert Hubbard owned the name and mark, he added his own characteristic flourishes to the story, saying Roycroft meant “royal craft” or, “fit for a king.” He also said he had taken the mark from a book printed in Venice in 1472 and explained “the circle stands for eternity; the upright device means progenity; the bar across  the circle symbols prohibition; and the double cross is a Dagonic device.” 

     Hubbard copyrighted his version of the mark in 1906 for use on “Chairs, Settees, Bookcases, Tables, Cabinets, Music-Cabinets, Desks, Couches, Sideboards, Stools, Beds, Dressers, Cradles, Stands, Taborets, Pillows, Picture Frames.” It was very unusual at this time for a mark to be placed prominently on printed works or objects such as furniture. But Elbert saw the commercial benefit of displaying the mark and used it everywhere.

     As you may have noticed, the Roycroft mark is very similar to the Nabisco Brand trademark, being developed and advertised by that company around the same time. Nabisco wanted Roycroft to cease using the mark, but they came to an agreement, with Elbert often quoted as saying, “if you agree not to print books, we agree not to make biscuits.”

- Sue

 

Comments

[LINDA ULRICH-HAGNER]

Hello from AZ. Earlier in the month Tom and I visited the Riordan Mansion on the Northern University Campus in Flagstaff. The home design is American Arts and Crafts architecture. The family loved mission furniture. It is a great place to see Gustav Stickley Arts and Crafts furniture. The Riordan Mansion is one of the rare places where you can see examples of Harvey Ellis designed inlay furniture. The ORB connection here is that Ellis worked for Stickley around the time the house was being built in 1904. Harvey Ellis also used the ORB as his trade mark with his initials below. His circle was empty and his initials HE were framed in a trapezoid. Does anyone know more about Harvey Ellis? LU-H