Both previous Epigrams and
Roycroft Dictionary Definitions
of the Day are available.
What is Roycroft? It was a handicraft community founded in East
Aurora, NY about 1895 by Elbert Hubbard. Hubbard had been a very
successful soap salesman for J. D. Larkin and Co. in Buffalo, but
wasn't satisfied with his life. So in 1892, he sold his interests
in the company and briefly enrolled at Harvard. Disenchanted, he
quickly dropped out and set off on a walking tour of England. He
briefly met William Morris and became enamored of Morris'
Arts-and-Crafts Kelmscott Press.
Upon his return to America, he tried to find a publisher for a
series of biographical sketches he had written called﹃Little
Journeys.﹄When he was unsuccessful in his attempts to have
someone else publish the works, he decided to print them himself.
Thus the Roycroft
Press was born. Hubbard proved to be such a prolific and
popular writer that fame and fortune soon followed. The print shop
expanded and then visitors began coming to East Aurora to see this
extraordinary man. Initially, visitors were housed in the
printworker's living quarters, but this arrangement soon proved
inadequate. A hotel was built to house the ever increasing number
of visitors. The inn had to be furnished so Hubbard had local
craftsmen make a simple, straight lined style of furniture. The
furniture became popular with visitors who wished to buy pieces
for their homes. A furniture manufacturing industry was then born.
In addition, Roycroft craftspeople were skilled metalsmiths,
leathersmiths, and bookbinders.
The community flourished and was at its peak in 1910 with over
500 workers. By 1915, Hubbard and the Roycrofters (as the workers
were known) had achieved great success. Not only had Elbert
written the inspirational pamphlet, A Message to Garcia,
with an estimated printing of 40 million copies, but he was also
publishing monthly magazines, The Fra and The Philistine. This was
all in addition to an almost constant nationwide lecture series
and the monthly publication of additions to the original Little
Journeys series that started it all.
It all changed when Elbert and his wife, Alice, were among the
fatalities onboard the Lusitania. The Hubbards had been traveling
to England to begin an lecture tour when they died. The
Community's leadership then fell to Elbert's son, Bert. Though
Bert took the Roycrofters to wider sales distribution, changing
American tastes led to slowly declining sales figures. Finally, in
1938 the Roycrofters closed shop.
Today, items that were produced by the Roycrofters
are highly sought after by collectors. In addition to the
collectabilty of the items, examples of Roycroft bookbinding,
metalsmithing, and furniture-making are sought simply because of
their inherent beauty and craftsmanship.
At the request of an Immortal, when links listed
below are updated, a date will be listed so Gentle Readers will be
aware when the change was made. This policy will also carry over
to the pages themselves, with the exception of the Roster of
Philistia, as it is updated every day.
●Here at TWOTR, the audience is requested to
participate, to the end that there is a sweet flow of soul and a
free, frank expression concerning the best of life. In response
to all the Divine Heirs who have requested the text of "A Message to
Garcia" and "Get Out or Get In
Line" be made available, the Fra has complied that the
truth might be echoed again and again.
●The Fra said "East Aurora is not a locality - East Aurora
is a condition of mind." Understandable, but the East Aurora
Post Office might argue the point and now there is a videocam of
Downtown
East Aurory so you can see for yourself in Wheaton what
all the Hub-Bub is about. Still, for those seeking more formal
directions to this "condition of mind," TWOTR is pleased
to have interactive
maps available that can point you in the proper direction
of Mecca.
●A Jewel in the Roycroft Crown is the Elbert Hubbard
Roycroft Museum in East Aurora. It's a must-do and see for
any Roycrofter, or Arts & Crafts enthusiast for that matter.
And tell 'em the Fra sent you.
●Roycroft during its heyday was truly a national phenomenon,
not solely limited to metro-East Aurora. So whenever the
Fra-in-Charge travels across the U.S. on business or pleasure,
he always keeps an eye peeled for All Things Roycroftie. He
believes it would prove interesting to all Members of the Elect
to have a list of Roycroft "Points of
Interest". It might be a monument, a hotel or Lord knows
what. Think of it as a national Roycroft tourist guide.
●Make your own Missionary Move by sending someone you care for
a Roycroft e-mail
postcard. You can choose from an ever growing list of
genuine Roycroftie color postcards. Loyal Roycroft workers are
standing by to transmit them as a matter of second class, free
of charge. First class e-mail delivery is automatic and gratis
for Members of the Elect.
●Special to the Cognoscenti, a Roycroft bibliography has been
added. It's split into two sections in chronological tabular
format, with pre-1915
and post-1915
listings. The lists are not complete but still, be forewarned,
the pre-1915 list is pretty big.
●Save yourself tears, fears, doubts, gooseflesh and heartburn.
If you have questions
about anything Roycroftie, we have most of the answers.
●If you would like to Rest, Read and Recreate in a Beautiful,
Comfortable, and Unique Environment, here are some postcards of
the Campus and surroundings. Enjoy the Scenery!
●There are Brethren outside of the Society of Philistines, so a
page of Arts & Crafts related
websites has been set up for your browsing pleasure. If you know
of some that aren't listed here, please drop the Fra a note.
So here then are thoughts and thoughts that are the ripe grain of
well winnowed experience. But thoughts being in the air are the
possession of whoever can seize them, so some of the thoughts
herein writ have been expressed before - but not so well. And if
the Gentle Reader is minded to smile as he reads he has a perfect
right so to do, or to sneeze if he so feels called upon. Send
smiles or sneezes to the Fra-in-Charge.
Subscribers not fully understanding his jokes will be supplied
laughing-gas at club-rates.
This page is updated every little while and published daily.
Head, heart, and hand were used in its crafting.
