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This stein is one of the all-time rarest Roycroft items. Crafted from copper, sterling silver and jade. Theses pieces were not only designed but also crafted by Karl Kipp.
It shows up in Fra advertisements and the catalogs during 1910 and 1911 and was originally priced at $25.
The example at top is certainly the best one of the four of these known to this collector and was described by David Rago as follows: KARL KIPP / ROYCROFT Exceptional hammered copper presentation stein with pierced nickel silver bands and four jade cabochons. Handle inscribed H.C. Meacham. (Henry Clay Meacham [1869-1929] owned the largest department store in Fort Worth, Texas, in the early years of the last century, the H.C. Meacham Company. He served as that city's mayor from 1925-27). Excellent original patina, small dent to top. Orb and cross mark, KK. 6 1/2" x 5 1/2". It sold for $66,000 including premium September 2008. The bottom example top is missing, and it sold in September 1999 on eBay for $4,827.
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A RoycroftCopper.com Exclusive!!! This magnificent large clock is probably a one-of-kind piece. It does not appear in any catalog that I'm aware of and came from the estate of a Roycrofter. It was probably not made to be sold. The presence of decorative tooling and the somewhat classical design date it to after the late teens.Measures about 13 3/4 wide by 11 1/2 high. Value: Impossible to determine. |
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Rare, early and complete Chafing Dish set. Tray is listed in the catalog as 14 inches wide. Height is listed at 8 inches. It is highly unusual for a complete set like this, in excellent condition, to show up. Occasionally the support ring, or a burner will appear individually.
Value: $Sold for $2,850 2/03 eBay. Click here for a big picture, for more close-ups, click tray, lid, base, burner |
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Rare dresser set.
This dresser set might be one of a kind, as it is the one pictured in "Roycroft Collectibles" by Charles Hamilton, and I'm not aware of any other examples. Probably made by Walter Jennings. Value: Sold for $2,700 plus 15% at Rago's 5/03. Click here for a big picture (Rago Auctions). |
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Poker chip holder. About 7 in. high. I've included two pictures to highlight a little mystery regarding one of Roycroft's finishes. The top one is a nice Aurora Brown, but the bottom one is an example of a finish that shows up on some middle-late pieces. It ain't Aurora Brown, but it ain't brass either. It's kind of like a golden-brown right between those two finishes. I know I've seen this finish on poker chip holders, German silver vases, the 5 inch shouldered vase, and probably some other stuff too. It's interesting that it frequently has the uneven quality you can see on this piece -- the lighter colored band around the middle (the one in McConnell's book is the same way). I have no idea whether this is a result of age, wear, moisture, or if it was actually sold that way. This poker chip holder is virtually mint except for the uneven color (it's mine), so I doubt it's due to wear. Any theories...?
Value $650-850. Auction results: Brown very good condition $535 eBay 02/03 (a nice buy considering that these don't show up very often); $438 unsigned brass 3/04; $615 avg. cond ebay 12/04 Click here for a big picture of the brown one at top, or here for a big pic of the "brass/brown" one. Click here for a big pic of the bottom one. |
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Clock.
About 5.5 inches tall.
These are rather rare, and I've seen them both signed and unsigned. It's also cataloged as form #1102 and the absence of a mark doesn't affect the value much with this these. Value: $1500-2000. A brass one sold in 2000 or so for about $650 at Treadway, but this brown at top hit $1,700 plus premium at Rago's 5/02, and the one at bottom sold for $1877 4/05 ebay.. Big pic of the top one (Rago Auctions). Big pic of the bottom one (dealer Michael Lehr). |
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Telephone.
I guess you can't get picky about condition of the finish when you're in the market for a Roycroft telephone -- Hello! -- looks cleaned to me. But, needless to say, these don't show up very often, so grab 'em when you see em! Value: $2500-ish. This phone sold for $2833 on ebay 2/00; $2640 Rago 3/08. Click here for a big picture. |
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Hat pin. Very rare and early, circa 1911. If you look closely you'll see the tiny squares in each corner -- a little touch of seccessionist design that makes this a really neat little piece. Click here for a nice big pic. Value: not sure really but I would pay at least a few hundred bucks for one of these. |
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A pair of incense burners. I just can't resist these little guys, which may explain why I own four of them! A little less than 3.5 inches high. Both in excellent condition.
Value $400-500 for brown, $300-400 for brass (even though brass seems to be much rarer for these). Latest auction price: $366 vg cond brown 1/00 eBay; $275 vg cond. eBay 6/00; $377 vg cond. ebay 1/01; $520 vg cond. brown eBay 2/02; $520 ex cond brown eBay 6/03; $635 brown excellent condition 8/03 ebay (probably a record price for one of these). |
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Crumb tray and scraper. I'm not a big fan of crumb trays, but this is the earliest one they made, and it's big, each piece being almost a foot long. So it gets some cool points for rarity, date, and size.
Value: $150-200. Latest auction prices $153 ebay 4/05. |
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Bun Warmer. About 11" by 10" by 6". A very rare item, this is the only one I've seen aside from the one in the McConnell book. Not too pretty, but functional, especially if you like warm buns.
Value: this one sold ebay 11/01 for $893; $787 avg condition ebay 3/05.
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Rare early Vienna Seccession style picture frame with cutouts. About 4" by 3". The only one I've ever seen, and I've never even seen it pictured in a catalogue. Note the size of the early mark. I've been told, and agree, that generally the larger the early mark, the earlier the piece. Original brown finish in excellent condition. Value $600-900. |
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Rare early Vienna Seccession style ladle with cutouts. About 7" inches long. There is one of these pictured in "Head, Heart and Hand", but this is the only one I've ever seen sell. Cleaned, but who cares! Value $400-600. Sold ebay early 2001 along with the matching early bowl for around $900. |
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Ladle, about 7 inches long by 3.75 wide.
This earlyish piece was sold as an accessory to the footed nut bowl. Every one I've seen has the early mark. Value: $150-250. This one sold $140 6/00 eBay. Another nice one sold $267 eBay 02/03. Click here for a picture of the back and the early mark. |
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Nut spoon, about 5 inches long.
Another spoon. Although this one is unsigned, it's a well-catalogued form, pictured with early nut sets. Value: $50-75 without mark. Higher if signed. Sold $35 8/00 eBay (to me!). Speaking of unsigned items, personally I really don't care whether there is a mark or not. Quality speaks for itself, and I enjoy the few unsigned things I own as much as the signed stuff. I think beginners and some jerky collectors are way too obsessed with marks. If you need a mark to evaluate whether or not you should own something, you should collect Beanie Babies not art metal.
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Wall mounted plant holder.
Brass finish. Value $100-200. |
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Hat or lapel pin.
About .75 inches long. Roycroft offered a variety of pins, which as far as I know, were not manufactured by them. This one has black enamel and gold inlay. Value $250-350. Latest auction prices: $255 3/01 eBay. |
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Hat or lapel pin.
About .75 inches long. Value $150-250. |
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Hat or lapel pin.
About 1 inch long, with nice colored enamel. Value $250-350. |
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Stick pin.
About 1 inch long. Value: sold ebay $501 10/02. I would have guessed $250-350. |
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Hat paperweight.
A strong candidate for the "overpriced Roycroft novelty" award (come on, this is NOT art metal!). Value: $400-700. Latest auction prices: $450 ebay 11/02. |
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Little incense burner. Nice Old Brass finish.
Value $150-250. Latest auction prices: $240 8/00 ebay; $202 brass vg cond. 2/02 ebay; $143 good cond. brass 2/05 ebay; $280 good cond. brown ebay 3/05. |
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Teabell. Excellent original Aurora Brown finish.
Value $300-500. Latest auction prices: $511 worn brass finish 11/00 eBay; $281 very worn ebay 2/01; $515 7/01 ebay; $510 vg cond. brown 2/02 ebay; $400 gd cond brass 2/02 ebay; $430 gd. cond. ebay 2/02; $226 avg cond. ebay 10/05; $282 fair condition ebay 9/08. |
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Teabell. Nice silver wash finish.
Value $250-350. Latest auction prices: This piece sold for $338 7/03 eBay. |
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Picture frame with tooled flowers in each corner. Original Aurora Brown finish in excellent condition. About 8 by 5.75 inches. Big pic. David Rago Auctions Value $400-600 I would guess, but this one is particularly nice and sold for $1100 plus premium at Rago 9/04. . |
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Picture frame with tooled flowers in each corner. Original Old Brass finish in good condition. About 6 inches by 4 inches I think.
Value $400-500. |
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Picture frame with tooled flowers in each corner. Brown finish in good condition. Possibly unsigned. About 6 inches by 8 inches.
Value $400-500. However, this frame sold for $700 at Rago 5/03. Seems way too high, but I suppose the fact that the mark may have been obscured by felt and it may have been a Jennings piece drove the price up. Click here for a big picture (Rago Auctions). |
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Picture frame. About 4 inches high. Brown finish in excellent condition.
Value $225-275. Picture of baby moi -- priceless! Click here for a big picture. |
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Picture frame. One of the few late pieces I own. Acid etched. Many of these little frames were made later and the finishes are usually not great. Good for little period photos though! About 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches.
Value $125-200. |
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Hanging flower pots. About 12 inches long. These are interesting for two reasons. First, they're marked Karl Kipp Tookay Shop rather than Roycroft. Second, a single one sold at a major auction in 1998 for an insane $350. (and I'm now accepting offers for $700 the pair!)
These are in great condition, but I think they're really worth $200-$300 for both. Latest auction price: One sold for $150 on ebay 6/2000. |
