Early The Craftsman Studios, California: Los Angeles
In 1921 The Craftsman Studios was moved to 2818 South San Pedro Street in Los Angeles for a yet unknown reason. Perhaps the influence of California metal workers like Dirk Van Erp and Fred Brosi drew Carl Wirths to set up new stakes.
Intersection of the first CS location in California at 2818 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles. Does the building still exist? Googlemap Image.
While the CS line was about to undergo a significant change, including more hand chasing and different items, we know that CS still produced acid-etched items without any marks out of California.
Here is an interesting hexagonal acid-etched and hammered ashtray of which there were at least two designs. This particular design came out in the early 1920s and includes a MacIntosh-style rose with vines in the shapes of swastikas! Swastikas were a relatively common symbol used during the Arts and Crafts movement in the late 1800s into the 1920s. They were used in decorative items and even on wallpaper. The symbol is literally thousands of years old and was not considered evil, but symbolized peace good luck for thousands of years. As an aside, Jack London’s 1898 cabin in Dawson City, Yukon has swastika wallpaper. It is amazing that any decorative objects with swastikas would have survived, given the negative connotation given to them in WWII.
Here is a tile floor from a 1920s supermarket in Hamilton, Ontario with the swastika used as a symbol of peace and good luck.
Swastika tiles used as a symbol of peace and good luck in a 1920s supermarket in Hamilton, Ontario. Image from the Hamilton Spectator.
And here is a lovely acid-etched and hammered CS copper lamp. It is unknown if these were stamped CS and I do not know of any in existence. Perhaps their production was very limited.
Nice advertisement of a previously unknown (to me) CS lamp with lovely etching, not unlike some of the examples listed below. Thanks to David Kornacki for the ad.
This piece has a tulip design and has been attributed to Roycroft, as with a hanging bud vase below it. However, it has now been documented as CS! I mean, look at that crazy blue-green colour.
Here is a documented signed version in the brown colour:
And here is the tulip bud vase that could be CS…
It is in California that very likely the CS mark was first used and the CS design trajectory changed to desk items, vases, smoker’s item, and other novelties.
A dusty and grimy example of the earliest CS mark.
By 1924 the location had changed to 312 West 35th Street and Clyde C. Hall is listed as President.
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Intersection of the second CS location in California at 312 West 35th Street, Los Angeles. Does the building still exist? Googlemap Image.
We know that in the mid-twenties CS was producing pieces with the CS mark. These are some of CS’s finest designs…
The Work
An outstanding early California Craftsman Studios vase collection — likely the best assembled — image courtesy of David Kornaki.
Here is one of the more pristine CS vases…
Acid-etched and hammered bookends — best of both worlds?
The following pieces are known to have the CS early mark.
Resellers
There is evidence that CS products, specifically jewellery, were being resold in at least one other outlet in 1921. While we have no evidence that CS was producing jewellery after the move to Los Angeles in 1921, perhaps there was some production.
Craftsman Studios re-seller ad from Colonial Candle Co of Cape Cod, in the Cape Cod Magazine, 1921. Add courtesy of Lauren from the defunct A&C Society forum.
More to come…