Looks like the same humidor pattern as the one in my previous pic, but it also looks like it has been polished of original patina, at some point, unless they made different versions. The box would be from Albert Berry, a very collectable maker.

The difference in the dollar, 20% buyers premiun, shipping, and probably taxes (but likely no duty), might make this a little pricey up here.

I just recently read your comments on Vetcraft Shops of Toronto and thought you might be interested to see some photos of a child's desk made by them.This was given to my mother as a child and was just passed on to me.I have not had a chance to clean it up but it is in very good condition as it has been in the family since purchased new.I don't have a date for it but she was born in 1922.

If you have trouble with the photos,here is the link.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~niagarapiglet/Desk.html

Thanks Barry, cool little desk, and those are the best pictures we've seen, so far, of the furniture made by Vetcraft Shops

The desk is indeed a wonderful piece, with good history to go with it.

I have only been able to make one short visit to Ottawa but plan a further visit soon. I have checked out some of the official records and so far they raise more questions than answers. By 1925 there were two Vetcraft shops in operation, one on Toronto and the other in Hamilton. The latter appears to have been located in the east end of Hamilton. There were no others in Canada although there were other sheltered workshop programs operated by the Canadian Red Cross with funding support from the Dominion government.

I have yet to find any catalogs or more detailed descriptions of their products, but evidence submitted to a Parliamentary Committee in 1925 suggests that the production of poppies for November 11 was by then a major part of their business. They had a monopoly on production of poppies for all of Canada.

One of the questions coming out of this is what was being produced in Hamilton? Is it possible that the two marks found on the metalcraft pieces identify where they came from? The ones with Toronto is self explanatory, but the ones without any words - could they be from Hamilton?

Thanks john; more pieces of the puzzle but still a big puzzle!

The Hamilton pieces might indeed be the un-named pieces because there is no evidence of pieces with a mark that actually says Hamilton, so far anyways, so it's a logical assumption, unless for some strange reason they stamped them Toronto. I met a dealer with an un-named piece who said this meant it was 'early' but he didn't seem to be an expert either.

Another interesting thing to know would be how and where were pieces distributed because they seem to turn up in the States and the west coast (e.g. I bought one piece from someone in Victoria) as well as locally. One more question would be how many vets were actually employed over the years.

I have now joined the Stonecat/Johnn club in acquiring one of the humidors with the curly handle on the lid (pic attached).

On holding the item in my hands and looking at the previous postings two things struck me.

First, the humidors seem to have been made in 2 sizes. If you look at the pics, Stonecat's has 8 rivets in the vertical band while Johnn's has 5. Mine is the 5 rivet version.

Second, concerns the handles on the sides - a lions head with a ring in the mouth. This was discernible in the earlier pics but did not stand out. I may be wrong but this strikes me as a distinctly non-A&C touch. I wonder what the explanation might be.

Just a follow up to my last posting. The Humidor on e-bay referred to a few postings ago was of the 8 rivet variety but it had more conventional A&C handles on the side. Pic of the e-bay item attached.

I agree there are clearly two different models. I don't know what the use of a lion's head means. There might be some heraldry connection with the army - maybe many of the vets were from a certain army group or regiment that used a lion's head in their insignia, e.g. cap badge. The rivet handles do look more A&C. Lion's head with ring pulls are often seen on mantle clocks, on the sides, from the same period, and I think everyone has seen door knocker rings like this. This is also a pretty common pattern in reproduction hardware, for furniture pulls.
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&p=41890...520,43521,43559&ap=2

...there must be some history to it

Just a quick note on my continuing work on history of Vetcraft Shops. I have been able to find a few more documentary sources that help to put the brass and copper work in context.

The main, and possibly only workshop producing brass and copper work was in Toronto, although it is possible that some may have also been produced in Hamilton.

The program had its beginning in the occupational therapy programs offered in the Military Hospitals. By 1919, a number of these hospitals offered occupational therapy programs both in the wards for soldiers who were bedridden, and in workshops for patients who were ambulatory. The programs were delivered by professionally trained occupational training ward aides who had been trained at the University of Toronto beginning in 1918-19. The training training program at the U. of T. included classes in 8 different crafts, of which hammered brass and copper was one.

The first Vetcraft Shop was opened in May, 1920 at 200 College Street in Toronto. Its three product lines were copper and brass, basketry, and woodenware, especially childrens' toys. There was a special exhibition of their work at the Canadian National Exhibition (August/September 1920) and their handiwork was featured for the Christmas market that December.

It is likely that some copper and brass work was produced for sale at the Christie Hospital in 1919 and early 1920 as copper and brass work was included in the occupational training programs there as early as April or May of 1919.

According to purchase records of the Department of Soldiers Civil reestablishment (that ran both hospitals and Vetcraft) copper sheeting was first purchased in fiscal 1919-20 (about 1,800 pounds), with further somewhat larger purchases in 1920-21, 1921-22 and 1922-23. The Vetcraft Shops moved in 1923 to a new location on Dundas Avenue West, and there is no indication that the new location included a metals shop. I can say with some certainty that copper and brass production had come to an end before the end of 1923. No copper and brass was purchased in fiscal 1923-24.

As this is already rather long I will send a seprate message about the logo, another interesting story.

As I indicated, the story about the triangular logo is also quite interesting.

It was`officially recognized as a registered trademark on July 21, 1921 based on a submission on April 13, 1921. The registration # is 23698.

The trademark was already in use well before this date because we have a lengthy description of it in a local newspaper, the Toronto Star, on June 26, 1920, viz.
The logo appears to have been based on the cap badge of the vocational therapy ward aides, designed by two employees of the program. It consisted of "A triangle (for mind, body and spirit), enclosing a clenched fist holding a hammer (signifying the nobility of work), and behind the rising sun (the whole emblematic of the nobility of work lighting up minds, body and spirit).

The disabled soldiers were motivated to believe:
"That there are no cripples except of the will"
"Work your grief up into art and it is gone"
"To know what real pleasure is, do good work"

The logo was associated with Vetcraft from the beginning, but may have been in use before the first Vetcraft Shops were established.

Thanks Johnn for the work you have done in relation to Vetcraft. Fascinating stuff, particular for the Canadian members of the Forum

Great stuff Johnn - this is the only place on the web that there's any info being shared and presented on this shop. I assume you've gotten in to some more records either in Ottawa or Toronto - care to elaborate?

The Vetcraft information discussed on this forum is what the forum is about. We are fortunate to have folks willing to research and share what they know to shed light on the Vetcraft shop and their products. My hats all who contributed and continue to contribute.

Fred

Unfortunately there is no single source one can go to in order to put together a history of Vetcraft. The records of its parent organization (Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment)were ruthlessly culled before they were turned over to the National Archives, and there are no files relating to the operations of its workshops in the Ontario region. There are however records of several Parliamentary committees that reviewed the program and financial records that were published by the Department of the Auditor General. There are also legal records that cover the history of patents held by Vetcraft, including the registration of its trademark.

I have been spending many hours now going through local newspapers, with some luck, and following up leads on private papers of people involved in the program. I still have miles to go befoew exhausting these sources, and of course I would welcome any leads that other participants in this forum can pass on.

Vetcraft - Hamilton
My mother asked me to do a bit of research on Vetcraft so I was quite happy to discover this forum.

Her father Harold Saville was involved in the founding and running of the Hamilton shop. According to my mother they concentrated on wooden furniture, both for adults and children and also concentrated on wooden toys. Harold would attend many of the toy conventions and bring back ideas or models to be reproduced in the shop.

The original shops were in old army barracks behind the pool (have to confirm the name) and eventually moved uptown, off of King St in an old factory. Eventually they moved to the Lister Block, sometime close to the start of WW II.

The initial group was comprised of carpenters and trades people that knew each other from WW I.

Harold Saville was involved with the Masons and mom suspects this may have influenced the trademark logo.

According to my father Harold also did a fair bit of traveling / displaying / selling; he would carry items to display and then bring back the orders. For that reason he does not think they had a catalogue for the pieces.

-- Robert Leitch __

Robert,

Wow, it's great to see some new info on Vetcraft. Are you saying that the Hamilton shop only worked in wood, and not copper? This might help explain a bit about the shopmarks. My theory is that the mark without any text might be Hamilton instead of Toronto, but if there is confirmation that Hamilton was only wood work then my theory is shot down. Do you have dates for the moves from one location to another? Any idea how many workers? Is your info just passed down through the family or do you know of any other records that might exist? More information just leads to more questions!! Information addiction!! Thanks.

I find myself in possession of two vetcraft items. Until the help of an antique dealer and this message board, I had absolutely no idea what it was I had.
The first item was a toy of my father's. He was born in 1928. It is the horse and wagon previously talked about here. The exception being, still with the horse and milkwagon is a little milk bottle made of glass and stuffed with something white, maybe cotton(?) Raised in glass on the front of the little milk bottle, it says, "City Dairy Co Limited". On the bottom of the bottle, again in raised glass, is the vetcraft symbol.
The 2nd item is vetcraft as well, although the tag has been removed. It came to me through my mother who acquired it from her father, a vet of WWI. No idea what it would be used for other then maybe to crack open nuts, as my grandfather did with it for many years, according to my mother. I can see where this would work as it is quite heavy for such a small piece.
The handle measures 4 1/2" in length. From one side to the other, the hammer head is 1" and 3/4" across the flat ends of the hammer.
Now that I know so much more about "Vetcraft".
I want to thank everyone who has researched and provided this research to us who have no idea what we even own. In moments, I learned so much about this Vetcraft. Thank you.
PS I'm only able to add one pic at a time, so will send a couple other email with further pics of my vetcraft.

Back of toy milkwagon and horse.

Vetcraft toy milk bottle.