The framed epigram (about $35) and title page from a book of epigrams ($90) are printed from hand-set type on special paper. Both bear the guild mark of the Roycrofters.

Here’s an appropriate sentiment for Labor Day week: “Get your happiness out of your work or you will never know what happiness is.”
The quote is from Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915) founder of the Roycrofters guild in East Aurora (Buffalo), New York in 1899. He was a man as prone to epi-grams as Benjamin Franklin.
Here’s another one: “The best prepa-ration for good work tomorrow is to do good work today.”
It’s no accident that many of Hub-bard’s epigrams have to do with work. He had modeled the Roycrofters after the old medieval guilds, the forerunners of today’s labor unions.
His association of craftsmen and workers, however, would run their own business as well, not only producing, but marketing the goods they made.
This “workmen’s co-op” idea of his wasn’t new. It was happening in Great Britain and in other places in the United States at the same time—all a part of the Arts and Crafts Movement of the day.
As more mass-produced goods reached the market from the factories of the industrial revolution, many consum-ers longed for quality hand-craftsmanship. To compete with indus-try, craftsmen and artists joined to-gether in guilds to market their wares.
Hubbard was neither craftsman nor artist; he was a soap salesman for Larkin Soap in Buffalo.
But he was also a talented motivator and marketer. He named the Roycrofters after two 17th century printers, and be-gan his guild as a print shop.
He chose special papers and handset the type for, first a magazine, then for books featuring his epigrams and moti-vational philosophy.
Soon metal-craftsmen, potters, glass workers and furniture makers were find-ing their way to East Aurora, and Hub-bard was placing their products in some of the finest retail outlets in the county.
The Roycrofter mark usually consists of an intertwined “RC” in a circle topped by a vertical line crossed by two hori-zontal lines. Their furniture often fea-tures a metal tag.
All Roycrofter products are sought-after avidly on the antiques market. They not only evoke a time and a movement, but are also reminders of how workers who are concerned about their work will always make things with care, and how they and the thing they make will always deserve our respect.
Note: Thanks to all of you who have sent in appraisal requests be mail and email. I will be answering some of them soon in a future “mailbag” column. I’m sorry, but I can’t respond to each re-quest individually.
You should also know that I welcome any comments or criticism you may have about the contents of this column and any questions or observations you may have about the antique business in gen-eral. I will be happy to respond to them as well in this space. Whatever the sea-son or the reason, let’s keep the conver-sation going.

—Arthur Schwerdt is the author of “The Antique Story Book,” and co-owner of The August Farmhouse Antiques on route 9 in Swainton. Send your com-ments and appraisal requests to aschwerdt@cmcherald.com.