After many requests for information on Gordon VanTines, the Davenport Iowa manufacturer of Kit Homes 1908-1947, I have created a website that provides a company history, bibliography, catalog covers, and examples of actual GVT houses.

www.gordonvantine.com

Hello Wolicki,
First of all welcome to the Arts and Crafts Forums, your input with the link you located id very interesting.
I at first thought it was a web site for advertisement, but on further study of it I am sure most will find it interesting.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

Dale --

Thanks for sharing the link to your new site. Congratulations ... we know how much work it is putting a new site together.

Rikki

Hey Dale

I sent Rikki member of this site, close to 60 pictures of the homes in Hampstead here - besides my GVT, I know there are quite a few kit houses and/or their plans. Maybe she will be able to share them with you.

Edee
GVT Plan #122

Edee --

Got them. Thanks. I'll go through them and resize them, then create a small album with them, so when Dale wants them they'll be available.

R.

Rikki & Edee-

I hope that you will share the album with the rest of us kit home enthusiasts!

Pleadingly,

Donna

Here's one of Edee's Hampstead, MD bungalows. I don't know that it's a kit, but it sure is cute.

Anyone may view them - Rikki will let you know how to access them - I'm not very computer savy, I only know how to send them via email, LOL.

But, if I become a Dale or Rosemary, I have full rights to my pictures, LOL! Otherwise, anyone may view and use them for whatever! I'm into sharing the "wealth."

Thanks, Edee!

I'd love to see these photos. Can you send them to me? I have high-speed, so you can send them via email --> thorntonrose@hotmail.com or you can mail them to: Rose Thornton, PO 3472, Portsmouth, VA 23701

Rose Thornton

Hey Rose - I will send them Monday, I'm ready to leave work shortly and being a school system employee, we have a 4 day weekend.

I will take more of what you're looking for, I have homes back to the 1800. I had sent Rikki a variety of dated homes, but there are definitely a lot of kit and plan ones here and what a variety!

Happy Turkey Day everyone.

Edee --

I didn't forget you ... I've just been trying to keep up with all the changes we've been making. For the purposes of really neat old houses, the images are wonderful. For A&C, I need to edit out anything before 1900 because it really doesn't apply here. (Much as I love the little carpenter gothic, it will never be a kit or Arts & Crafts.)

I'm sure Rose will still enjoy the pics.

Hope I'm forgiven. ;-) Have a good holiday!

R.

Hey Rikki & Rose

That's fine Rikki, I can't tell what is kit or not. I see so many similarities amongst our historic homes - the old kit home and plan book catalogues I flip through seem to resemble them all. I'll get some more home shots now that the leaves have fallen and some of the homes are now visible.

If anyone can identify the little stucco with a green roof and kid and dog in the front yard, it will be nice to tell the owners, they are really into their old home and I gave them websites here and others - they think it's a kit, but don't we all - there's a side shot of it too, but not in sequence in the pictures I sent. It was fun giving them the info.

My GVT for instance,is a circa 1912-1916 from GVT's book of plans, #122 and has an hip roof with 3 gables, not dormers. But it is a GVT. Dale identified it for me. I think we have some Sears 4-squares. It's difficult to i.d. without you experts.

I have 2 days more here and will go out for foot surgery Nov 30th - Jan 11th and will have no access to web sites or email as I don't have a computer at home.

Rose is your email, "thorntonrose@hotmail.com? I can't get it to go through, it kicked back to me 2 times already. I'll try again in the next 2 days, maybe it's the system here.

Rikki, can you share them w/Rose?

Edee -

I'll forward the pics you sent to Rose. (I might edit out the commercial type buildings because the files are so big they take forever to download. That may have been the source of difficulty forwarding them.)

I'll make sure to take a stab at the green house and will get the stuff up that is relevant to ACS (including your house) during December so when you get back on your feet, it will be waiting for you.

Hope you have a speedy recovery,
R.

Ok Rose - I had tried to send too many in one email. I just resent them to you in separate emails of 10 each.

Hello Ladies,
I Am proud to say that while I was serving my apprenticeship under my grand father, we were fortunate in the erection of several sears and other kit homes. However at the time I had no idea that these homes would become as popular as the Arts and Crafts movement have made them.

I am sure there are still some standing and one I know for sure is as it is only 4 miles out of town, but I also know of some that were torn down to upgrade an area and they called it progress. Little did they know how popular they would have become.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

quote:

That may have been the source of difficulty forwarding them.)

Rikki, Why do some of them come out so large? Maybe because I shot some in scene mode? I have a Nikon CoolPix.

No need to forward them to Rose, I emailed them to her finally, but perhaps they are too large for her too?

Surgery will be fine - prop the foot up a few days and behave. Then I can tackle projects! I'm an old surgery veteran, so I have it down pat, LOL. But, thanks for the well wishes.

quote:

However at the time I had no idea that these homes would become as popular as the Arts and Crafts movement have made them.

Hey Ralph

I live very close to the PA line - there are small towns all over in PA and they are mostly historic. So, unlike you, my area, if you will - is over populated with old homes.

Folks are buying them up, perhaps because this area is a bedroom to the Baltimore metropolitan area. Some realize they are A&C and try to work with the integrity of the house, but most flip them.

None the less, they are in vogue for what ever reason in my area. I've turned a few on to restoring their newly purchased old home and some folks are already into it, but had been unaware of websites like this and other links.

I think as a group in various websites, we all contribute in educating folks who buy them and hopefully opening their eyes in preserving their home's historical features before they ignorantly flip them.

Hello Edee,
Thanks for your input on this matter and I think I have heard of the homes you speak of in the PA area. Some people have the knowledge to accept these homes for what they are worth and try to maintain them in the manner they should.

Unfortunately there are an equal amount of folks who don't even care to hear of the things of the past that we cherish. I like to read and think about the good old days but, I wouldn't want to go back.

The main object of the Arts and Crafts Movement need to be reunited to the ones who will listen because of the way furniture, houses and other things are thrown together and bringing a hefty price as well.
It is sad to look at the so called furniture in the box stores and the manner they are made
and to top it all off, you get to take the packaged piece home and construct it yourself.

I'll get off my soap box now.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

Cottages and Bungalows has an article on Gordon Vantine homes this month.I just thought I'd pass it along.

Hey everyone, I live in a confirmed Gordon Van Tine in Missouri and I'd love to see pictures of more and share pictures of mine! I found a stamped board with the Gordon Van Tine Davenport Iowa stamp and a board with my address stamped on it. Nice to meet you all!