Another great doorstop from the same collection of the earlier Sarah Symonds piece. Unseen for 30+ years, first time offered for sale here. Early and a 100% original example. It is 16" tall and 8" wide. Spectacular.
The Hubley Manufacturing
Company was incorporated in 1894 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
by John Hubley and produced toys throughout its history. Early
Hubley production consisted of many cast iron toys including
various horse drawn vehicles, guns, and household objects such
as doorstops and bookends. Many of their cast iron objects were
dogs, and they are highly prized by collectors today. With the
automotive age, cars, trucks, and other transportation became
their focus. The Hubley Company made accurate metal replicas
of Model A Fords and other cars for many years; for example,
there are 7 Model A Ford body styles alone: Sedan, Station Wagon,
Coupe, Roadster, Roadster Pickup, Victoria, and Phaeton. Though
mass produced, Hubley toys and doorstops were painted by hand,
so each has become a unique treasure appreciated both for its
subject matter and the “folk art” quality of its paint, form
and design. After WW II, die-cast zinc alloy models for the
most part replaced the cast iron ones. In the casting process
at Hubley, metalworkers would carve out a form of wood, or hammer
the doorstop or toy design out in metal. The form was then pressed
into finely compacted sand, making an impression. Cast iron
heated to 3000 degrees was poured into the sand mold and, when
cooled, the form would pop out and rough edges were filed off.
In the decorating department, painters applied a base coat (usually
white or cream but sometimes black) to the doorstop. Then, colorists
used a variety of hues to highlight important details, usually
only on the side that would face toward the room. Many doorstops
bear identical color schemes, suggesting that decorators may
have copied a model finished by a master artisan. A well-cast
iron doorstop will be smooth in texture. Small chipping of paint
is acceptable, but there should be no repainting of an antique
item.
Hubley doorstops have been bringing record setting prices in recent auctions have drawn the attention of folk art collectors, as well as decorators, and of course, doorstop collector enthusiasts. As such, Hubley doorstops and toys are being reproduced, so it is important that collectors educate themselves and seek out experienced collectors and dealers. Older doorstops usually have a smoother, more refined casting, while reproductions are rougher or pebbly. Seams in the casting, if any, are usually tighter on the original doorstops. Reproduction doorstops cast in 2 or more pieces are usually assembled with Phillips-head screws, while the originals used slotted screws. The mold marks in old casting were generally ground off by hand using a file, while reproductions are cleaned up using power tools and tumblers, leaving coarser grinding marks. Look carefully at the wear patterns on the doorstop, and remember most old doorstops were used for their original purpose of holding doors open. Therefore, look for wear in the logical places – at the top where it was handled and around the base.
There are 3 tips you should keep in mind when assessing vintage and antique doorstops and other cast iron toys from manufacturers such as Hubley and Bradley & Hubbard. First, the better the condition, the higher the likelihood that the doorstop will retain and increase in value over time. Second, doorstops with outstanding form, character, sculptural quality and folk art appeal are in demand among collectors, all of which cause the price to go up. Finally, look out for the rare or unusual examples. In some cases, the original production run was low because the designs failed to find a market, because they were too costly to produce, because the foundry was in business for a relatively short time, and sometimes just due to poor quality or design. Hubley Manufacturing Company was bought by Gabriel Industries in 1965 and disappeared from the market shortly after the take-over. (courtesy Collectics)
The Hubley Manufacturing
Company was incorporated in 1894 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
by John Hubley and produced toys throughout its history. Early
Hubley production consisted of many cast iron toys including
various horse drawn vehicles, guns, and household objects such
as doorstops and bookends. Many of their cast iron objects were
dogs, and they are highly prized by collectors today. With the
automotive age, cars, trucks, and other transportation became
their focus. The Hubley Company made accurate metal replicas
of Model A Fords and other cars for many years; for example,
there are 7 Model A Ford body styles alone: Sedan, Station Wagon,
Coupe, Roadster, Roadster Pickup, Victoria, and Phaeton. Though
mass produced, Hubley toys and doorstops were painted by hand,
so each has become a unique treasure appreciated both for its
subject matter and the “folk art” quality of its paint, form
and design. After WW II, die-cast zinc alloy models for the
most part replaced the cast iron ones. In the casting process
at Hubley, metalworkers would carve out a form of wood, or hammer
the doorstop or toy design out in metal. The form was then pressed
into finely compacted sand, making an impression. Cast iron
heated to 3000 degrees was poured into the sand mold and, when
cooled, the form would pop out and rough edges were filed off.
In the decorating department, painters applied a base coat (usually
white or cream but sometimes black) to the doorstop. Then, colorists
used a variety of hues to highlight important details, usually
only on the side that would face toward the room. Many doorstops
bear identical color schemes, suggesting that decorators may
have copied a model finished by a master artisan. A well-cast
iron doorstop will be smooth in texture. Small chipping of paint
is acceptable, but there should be no repainting of an antique
item. Hubley doorstops have been bringing record setting prices in recent auctions have drawn the attention of folk art collectors, as well as decorators, and of course, doorstop collector enthusiasts. As such, Hubley doorstops and toys are being reproduced, so it is important that collectors educate themselves and seek out experienced collectors and dealers. Older doorstops usually have a smoother, more refined casting, while reproductions are rougher or pebbly. Seams in the casting, if any, are usually tighter on the original doorstops. Reproduction doorstops cast in 2 or more pieces are usually assembled with Phillips-head screws, while the originals used slotted screws. The mold marks in old casting were generally ground off by hand using a file, while reproductions are cleaned up using power tools and tumblers, leaving coarser grinding marks. Look carefully at the wear patterns on the doorstop, and remember most old doorstops were used for their original purpose of holding doors open. Therefore, look for wear in the logical places – at the top where it was handled and around the base.
There are 3 tips you should keep in mind when assessing vintage and antique doorstops and other cast iron toys from manufacturers such as Hubley and Bradley & Hubbard. First, the better the condition, the higher the likelihood that the doorstop will retain and increase in value over time. Second, doorstops with outstanding form, character, sculptural quality and folk art appeal are in demand among collectors, all of which cause the price to go up. Finally, look out for the rare or unusual examples. In some cases, the original production run was low because the designs failed to find a market, because they were too costly to produce, because the foundry was in business for a relatively short time, and sometimes just due to poor quality or design. Hubley Manufacturing Company was bought by Gabriel Industries in 1965 and disappeared from the market shortly after the take-over. (courtesy Collectics)
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