Hi, I just found your website on A&C metal and I think it's great. I just wanted to show off a find I just picked up on vacation in N. California at an antique store for only $200. I figure that if I ever wanted to sell it, I could likely double this. It is an Elizabeth Eaton Burton inkwell and pen tray (inkwell has this very BEAUTIFUL mark...note the 2 dots within the mark, not sure if they have any significance). I take it that her work is pretty uncommon, moreso than Dirk Van Erp? I confirmed the mark by finding a print by same artist on a website, link: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/temple-courtyard-eli...th-eaton-burton.html

The desk set items have 'CE' monogrammed, which could have been her father, Charles Eaton, also an artist. I think this could be true because the antique store owner said she didn't know much about it other than it was made by a female artist for her father long ago.

Any discussion is welcomed.

Another photo:

Here is yet another photo:

Top of inkwell:

Welcome to the forum and what a delight to be treated to this Barton deskset. I have never seen her signature on her work. She was an extremely talented craftswoman with a great eye for design and a great ability to use California seacoast themes. (Shells and the like)

Did the seller have any idea as to the maker? I suspect not since the price you paid was so inexpensive. Her work is substantially rarer that that of Van Erp. The Van Erp shop was prolific.

Thank you for sharing these pieces.

Hi Fred,
Nice to be a member of this terrific forum, having the same affinity for A&C metal as others. Thanks for the info and your efforts responding to folks like me!

No, the seller did not know the maker and had little info on the monogrammed desk set with oak leaves. I saw the desk set in a shop while on vacation in N. Ca. It was in a display case where the owner had it marked down from $375 to $200 and the little sticker on the inkwell said it was 'signed'. I asked how long the owner had had this set for sale and I didn't get a great explanation but assumed it had been a long while and that no one had either gone to the trouble to ask for the case to be opened or if they did, were able to decipher the mark. Before I saw the mark, I had assumed from the price that it would be from some unknown home-shop maker, however the sticker stating this was a signed piece peaked my curiosity enough to ask the owner to find the key to the case so I could see the set and the mark. Not really knowing Burton's mark myself, I just had a hunch it was hers because I could envision an 'EEB' in the beautiful 1" tall mark and I recollected a California metalsmith named Elizabeth Eaton Burton. Luckily, I was correct. I really think her mark is very graceful and quite large compared to other marks like Roycroft.

Only the inkwell is marked, not the pen tray. Both are kind of oversized, the inkwell being 6.75" square and the pen tray 10.5 x 4.75". I think I'll try to find a replacement glass insert inkwell on ebay to complete the set. I'm hoping others will post photos of other Burton pieces. Cheers!

carolouise@comcast.net

Hi- I have two more pieces of the set--the three tier letter file and the blotter top. I believe I purchased them from the same dealer. I spoke to them and they had other dealers who worked for them putting out items. The set was broken up. I would love to put them back together. Any chance your two can come back to California?