Avon Coppersmith bowl spun and hammered. Lacquer finish. Softly serrated edges on top rim. c1930's 1"3/4hx3"w

All exquisitley done. Very high craftsmanship.

Signed: spuned hand hammered Avon coppersmith Avon, NY. Solid copper.

Avon coppersmith is not to be confused with the Avon Cosmetic Co

RiCO

I can't believe it. I have been bidding against you for that bowl. At almost $100, that was just too much.

It's gorgeous. Please let me know what it really looks like when you get it. And congratulations.

After I get the kids fed, I will post my research on that mark and its history.

Bev.

I'm afraid that you can blame me for getting the price up on the Avon bowl. It was such a great piece. Congratulations on winning it.

Here are some another boxes/bowls I am looking it. They are going beyond my price range. I am looking for something small that I can set out that will hold six dice for a game called Farkle. I keep losing the dice or my kids play with them or whatever--I never seem to have six. That is why I am looking for something small, metal and A & C. I may have to raise my budget if I keep getting outbid. I am new to E-bay and I keep losing everything in the last five minutes.

This one is not marked and I don't recognize it but the craftmanship is awesome.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageNam...11&Item=230126477204

Here is a fine example of the Arts and Crafts Shop founded in 1902. The shop was located in Buffalo, NY and they worked in enamel on copper. Their early work is very distinctive. They changed their name to the Heintz Art Metal Shop in 1906.

The top bidder this time is a collector of this style with deep pockets. I doubt that I will end up with it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&ss...0118747410&rd=1&rd=1

I am looking for my Avon reference now and will post it soon.

Bev.

Here is the info on the Avon Coppershop from the Benedict website:

http://www.benedictstudio.com/pb/wp_0501a5ee.html

Avon made metal items in both copper and brass with various finishes. Some of the work is finely hammered or not all. The Avon Copper Smiths was stared in the early 1930's by Arthur Cole, who had worked as a coppersmith at the Roycroft Copper Shop. Cole apprenticed under Karl Kipp and Walter Jennings. Most of the copper pieces produced by the Avon Copper Smiths look like work produced by Kipp and other famous metalsmiths that worked at the Roycroft shop. Subsequently, some of the Avon Copper Smith pieces rival that of the "high end" work done by Roycroft.

My interruptration is that as the quality of Roycroft metal work went down hill (after the depression), some of the metal smiths worked for Arthur Cole. Most of them did not sign their pieces but sold their metal work done after hours (when they were not at Roycrofts) through Arthor Cole's shop. Cole knew all the big names from working on the Roycroft campus and keep up a good relationship with the Roycroft metalsmiths when he started his own shop.

Here is a nice picture of their logo:

http://www.webteek.com/marks-metalware/show.php?cat=199&prod=1028&xh=0

Bev.

Update: that little copper box that I wrote about earlier sold for $241.62. I bid when it was only $15. Does anyone recognize this box? Why did is go so high?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2301...ame=ADME:B:WNA:US:12

Bev.

Bev,

Sometimes it is obvious why an item sold for a high price and often it is unclear. The initial look and construction of the box in question is good. Not Great.

An item of quality craftsmanship will show even hammering. (this one does not. the hammering is random and done to with uneven force.) It is an old piece and I suspect it is a student piece. (not of the quality to sell for so high)

Would have been a fair sale for around $50.

For $50, I would have had no regrets about buying that box. It just went too high and I did not recognize it as anything that special. By all rights the small Avon hand hammered bowl should have gone higher than that box. It was well crafted with known high quality shop mark.

Bev.

Bev,

You are right-on. The earlier Avon pieces showed much of the Roycroft influences. Avon also used spinning techniques in making their bowls and other accessories. I have seen some unmarked items that were exquisitely crafted.

The quality of an item does not always translate to monetary value. I have seen a much poorly crafted metalwork sell for large sums because of the makers name. The quality of Roycroft declined in it's latter years and it sometimes brings high prices. I have also seen quality copper from Mexico sell for very little money.

Hall mark

quote:

Originally posted by RiCO:
Avon Coppersmith bowl spun and hammered. Lacquer finish.

Signed: spuned hand hammered Avon coppersmith AVon, NY. Solid copper.

RiCO