Criss Angel and his great crew shooting a magic trick in the store for his new series on Spike - "Believe"  We so enjoy having him here! 

I have a confession - and that is that one of my favorite items in the collecting field is vintage paper stuff.   Its a good thing that I have a store where I have trained myself all things must go -- or I would be buying it and my house would be filled!  We all have a bit of this in us as we travel and pick up post cards for savoring the trip or keeping that napkin from that special place you went with someone you loved.  Oh and matches!  How I miss having them as a source of advertising.   Didn't you keep some of your cherished  greeting cards ?  That's just the beginning of any collection.  :)     I love the whimsical post cards - old 50's napkins that always had some humor to it - old coasters - old letters - Old crate box labels - and especially older magazines with their awesome advertisements!  If you have an interest in Ephemera there is a Ephemera Society that I have linked for more information. 

We have new items coming in almost everyday!  We have 12,000 sq
ft of fun stuff so come on in and check us out!  Recently got in some
gorgeous R.S. Prussia pieces!
 
(referenced from the R.S. Prussia Club) For a long
time, it was thought that Reinhold and Erdmann were brothers who jointly owned
or ran the factory at Suhl, Germany. In actual fact, there were two factories in
Suhl, Erdmann's and Reinhold's. Contrary to folklore, these two operations were
in direct competition with each other. Reinhold's factory was founded and
initially owned by Reinhold, and subsequently with his two sons, Ehrhard and
Arnold. Arnold took over an existing porcelain factory in Tillowitz in 1894, and
continued to run it as part of the Reinhold Schlegelmilch enterprise until he
died in 1934. Erdmann's factory, in contrast, was founded and originally owned
by Leonhard Schlegelmilch. Later on, Oscar, Julius Martin, and Carl
Schlegelmilch had a hand in owning and/or running the factory. Oscar
Schlegelmilch eventually started his own factory in Langenwiesen, and Julius
eventually (1899) took over the ownership of Erdmann's Suhl operation. The
historical research by Ron Capers shows there was no blood relationship between
Leonhard and Reinhold
Schlegelmilch.

                    
From the time of founding up to 1892, it appears that little porcelain
was exported to America from Reinhold's factory. At the present time, we know
for sure what just a few of these early products look like. Objects in several
mold patterns used between 1889 and 1892 are known to be marked with the RS
"Arrow" mark. Unfortunately, "Arrow" marked objects do not appear in any of the
1892-93 catalogs we have accessed. This may explain the small degree of overlap
of "Arrow" marked mold and transfer patterns with other marked examples in the
RS continuum of products from later years. Beginning 1893, US wholesale firms
began to import larger quantities of china tableware from Europe, and almost all
was from Reinhold's factory. Two events in 1894 appeared to have a significant
on Reinhold's production. First, the second factory in Tillowitz, (Upper
Silesia) began to make far less expensive porcelain than the one in Suhl, owing
to the closer proximity of raw materials, and the abundance of cheap labor.
Second, the very high US import tariff on decorated porcelain was substantially
lowered by the Tariff Act of 1894. Based on the number and type of entries in
American wholesale catalogs, the tariff reduction opened the door to a flood of
European porcelain. Overall, most of the tableware (as opposed to dinnerware)
came from Reinhold's two factories. To date, we have not been able to find any
china tableware from Erdmann's factory in wholesale catalogs issued before
1902.


We estimate that between 1895 and 1900, R. S. Prussia exports to U.S.
wholesale firms increased between five and ten fold. It was during this time
that the R. S. "Wing" trademark was used. The run of good fortune continued
through 1903-05, partly due to the growing popularity of the Art Nouveau
movement, and partly to the continued updating of the mold and decorating
patterns. Reinhold's firm was noted for innovations in the manufacture and
decoration of porcelain. Two patents were issued in the United States. One for a
clock case was assigned to George Borgfeldt of New York in 1894. Clocks made
according to this patent were sold up to the turn of the century. While a round,
beveled "patent" mirror was used in many different molds for shaving mugs, we
have yet to find records that a patent was actually issued. The conversion to
quality decalcomanias (decals) for decoration beginning 1900 produced goods with
more color and eye appeal. This may have been the key that opened the door to
greater sales. Throughout the years, there was a continued improvement in the
manufacturing facilities. Hartwich details many of the modifications made to
improve both the quantity and quality of porcelain that the firm could
produce.


Reinhold's products from the 1900-1905 period were noted as being among
the best to be made in Europe. Unfortunately, public taste began to change about
1905. The complex mold patterns stocked by American wholesale firms began to be
replaced by china in simple shapes. At the same time, imports of inexpensive
Japanese china increased. All these factors contributed to year to year decline
in the amount of R. S. Prussia carried by wholesale firms. By 1910, simple
shapes predominate in all catalogs, wholesale and retail, and Reinhold's
products were largely replaced by china from both Japan and other European
firms.


Reinhold's products made after 1910 are frequently referred to as R. S.
Germany, owing to a change in trademark. However, the change in the country of
origin is only one of several to have been made between 1895 and 1910.
Consequently, we consider the products made from 1910 to the beginning of WWI to
be R. S. Prussia, for both manufacturing plants were still in operation. When
the hostilities of WWI began in earnest, the Suhl factory was effectively shut
down, owing to a lack of skilled labor. Most likely, some talented factory
workers were relocated to Tillowitz. The manufacture of porcelain in Tillowitz
continued through WWII. Although the plant survived undamaged, much of the
equipment used to make porcelain was removed upon Russian occupation. Today, the
factory still stands, but the major product is china
dinnerware.

                    
We need to note at this time how most of the R. S. Prussia was sold in
this country, at least during the 1892-1910 period. During January and February,
Reinhold shipped factory samples to wholesale firms, and most likely, to factory
representatives as well. Orders based on these samples were taken and placed
with the factory during the first part of the year. In this way, the firm knew
before mid-year just how much china had to be made and subsequently shipped
overseas. Manufacturing likely started upon receipt of an order, but delivery
was probably timed to arrive at wholesale firms in late September or early
October. In this way, merchandise could be in the hands of retail accounts by
the Holiday selling season. Most wholesale firms issuing catalogs throughout the
year show large sections of imported china only in their September through
November issues. In catalog after catalog, we note that imported china was
promoted as giftware for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year
holidays.