Stickley Era, the Arts & Crafts Movement

[Stonecat]

Here's a question that torments (haha) me. In the Arts & Crafts world of today what is worth collecting now for decent appreciation in the future? There are different schools of thought here. There is the purely financial way of thinking - buy cheap widgets now, sell at a profit later, who cares if you like/need/want them. Then there is the school of buy what you like and/or what you can use and try to buy with room left so you can maybe get a bit more for it later, or at least not lose money. Regardless of the motivation, the general question still remains, what is undervalued or currently out of favour and is worth keeping an eye out for? This could also apply to contemporary work. Curious for your thoughts.
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Stonecat

[casequarter]

This is a great question. I'm always interested to hear others philosophies of collecting.

We began collecting one small item at a time, until our knowledge and budget could catch-up (although not that any of us have as large of an A&C budget as we would like). Today we are faced with the question posed in the original post (which areas are currently undervalued and underappreciated), and the additional question of form vs. condition.

As we build a collection to furnish and decorate our home, we always buy objects we like. Any item bought because it is a great deal is bought to be resold as soon as we have the opportunity. Most "experts" say buy the best condition you can afford and it will reward you down the road. We struggle a bit with this when deciding between a great rare form and a much more common form in great, near original condition. Example (if we could afford it): Early Gus 16 pane 2 door bookcase, in super original condition or Early Gus gothic paned 2 door bookcase refinished with a couple of panes of replaced glass. Both great forms. Which provides better value down the road. I think this a tough decision and would love to hear other opinions.

As far as areas that are undervalued, it is getting more and more difficult. Five years ago this was an easier question and believe many accessory items were undervalued including A&C woodblocks, metal by makers other than Roycroft, VanErp and Gus, higher end Roycroft books, Roycroft leather goods and generic lighting (both table lamps and installable lighting). Today prices have really kept pace and deals are harder to find. I believe a couple of areas still don't get the recognition they deserve and will down the road. A&C silver (quickly gaining in mass popularity), especially second tier makers that produced items of first tier quality, vintage A&C linens, the best items from second tier potteries (great early Fulper can still be had at the low end of the price scale), Gus mahogany furniture, especially spindled forms in great condition, high end tiles other than Grueby, and the many more I'm certain others will think of.

[Stonecat]

"We began collecting one small item at a time, until our knowledge and budget could catch-up"

This is a key point. Knowledge is power, and it leads to a better understanding and appreciation of the pieces you collect or want to collect, and hence how you determine what you can and can't afford. I don't think I've been collecting long enough to have seen any ups and downs in certain items or sub-fields, and I wonder if there will be in the future. I think the opportunities, so to speak, have to be with the lesser known makers because the high end market is what it is - no huge surprises that a rare Gus is worth what it's worth; the surprises here are the undiscovered pieces like the Harvey Ellis table last year, the Maher chairs from Rockledge, as examples. On the other hand, many of the lesser known are maybe not that lesser known in the sense that it takes only a couple minutes to research almost anything on the net, so the average collector/dealer isn't fooled too often if they do a little work.

Personally, my strategy is simply to upgrade over time, and try to recognize quality where it might get missed. This begs the question who or what defines quality? Is it in the eye of the beholder or the eye of the market? The market certainly has identified and established price ranges for much of the best, but sometimes I get the feeling the market is a self-fulfilling machine. Some prices are just market hype, but I guess that's part of the game, and who's going to argue if you personally luck into a piece with lots of hype and hence profit potential.

Maybe I'm rambling and honestly I don't think I know enough to suggest names or pieces to look for, but I agree regarding the second tier furniture makers and lesser known metal. These pieces will benefit from the higher end stuff getting way too pricey or just getting locked up in collections - probably already benefitting and moving from the middle market to the high end. Another consideration is regionality - up my way I think the Canadian makers are not getting the interest or respect they deserve and hence this is something I try to focus on.
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Stonecat

[Stonecat]

OK since nobody else is piping in here, I'll throw out a few 'names' of what might be currently undervalued

Furniture

Charles Stickley - compare his style to say Limbert and ask yourself why do you pay more for Limbert 'negative space' than for CS

Harden - big and beefy, looks great, prices all over the board meaning there's value to be had

Lakeside Craft Shop - hit or miss, but the hits are great pieces like the liquor and smoking cabinet variations

Metal

Benedict - seems to sell cheaper than OMS which sells cheaper than Gus, but from the evidence it was all made by the same craftsmen

Roycroft - in mint/excellent brass wash finish, cheaper than Aurora Brown but it looks great if it isn't scratched up

Goberg (Germany) - hit or miss, but some neat Medieval designs, maybe a longshot
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Stonecat