First, review the information on brass care at the Trivetology post Caring for brass, bronze and copper trivets. Q: What’s the best way to polish Virginia Metalcrafters brass? Mine has been used regularly and is tarnished.Ī: It all depends on whether or not the brass was lacquered. He is unsure whether that included cypher trivets marked CW (Colonial Williamsburg). Update 11/29/21Īccording to Bill Eckman, whose father owned Virginia Metalcrafters, lacquer was applied through the years to VM brass trivets. UPDATE 6/26/18: Bill Eckman, VM founder Charles Eckman’s son, recommends the brewery saying “Excellent beer being brewed there now.”Īnd check out the Virginia Metalcrafters Facebook Group for collectors of VM castings! A number of former employees belong to the group and bring a wealth of information on the workings of the foundry and their products. The next time I’m in Virginia I look forward to visiting the Basic City Beer Company, located at 1010 Main Street, Waynesboro, Virginia. There may even be room to house artisan crafters and other tourism services. Renovations are almost complete for a 5,000 barrel production craft brewery and a 2300 square foot taproom. But now there’s new life for this historic property! In 2013 the foundry and surrounding property was purchased. Trivets were produced from 1946 until December 2006, when the Waynesboro, Virginia foundry doors closed for good. VM registered hallmarks, from their 1969 catalog They also produced souvenir trivets for the following American tourist destinations: Historic Charleston, Marineland, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Mystic Seaport, the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), Natural Bridge, Historic Newport, Old Salem, Old Sturbridge Village (OSV), Silver Springs, Skyline Drive, the Smithsonian Institution, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Winterthur Museum. The actual date of manufacture could be anywhere between then and 2006 when the company closed. Virginia Metalcrafters produced the largest number of original trivet designs of any modern manufacturer.įYI: Per Bill Eckman, Charles Eckman’s son, the date on a copyrighted VM trivet refers only to the copyright date. VM utilized a stock numbering system of a 9 or 10 followed by another number for example, 9-18 Doodlers Dream or 10-17 Kings Arms. Trivets were offered in Solid Brass, White Bronze, Aluminum (called Silvertone) and Cast Iron (in a Polished, Verdi or Black finish). In 1956 Virginia Metalcrafters acquired the Harvin Company of Baltimore, makers of fine brassware. Virginia Metalcrafters’ familiar Betty Lamp hallmarkĬharles Eckman bought the firm in 1953 and incorporated under the name Virginia Metalcrafters, Inc. When brass was once again available after World War II, production was resumed and their gift line was expanded. Mamarked the first use of the VM Betty Lamp hallmark on their products. In 1938 Loth installed a brass foundry and Virginia Metalcrafters became the brand name of the company’s brass and iron giftware line. Loth.) They initially manufactured cast iron stoves and wood and coal heaters. (In 1890 it was called the Waynesboro Stove Company – still Mr. Loth Stove Company of Waynesboro, Virginia. Virginia Metalcrafters (VM) was founded in 1895 as the W. Mint pair of brass Half Leaf Trivets, each 8 3/8″ x 4 1/2″ Celebrating the past and future of Virginia Metalcrafters
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