Virginia Metalcrafters was founded in 1890 as the W.J. Loth Stove company located in Waynesboro, Virginia which is on the western slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The company originally made cast iron stoves and ultimately created the Hotpoint range.
In 1938, the company began to make brass products under the trademark of Virginia Metalcrafters. In the late 1940s/early 1950s the company employed some of the great artists of the day to create masterpieces in brass. Calvin Kinstler was commissioned to create a carving of the triple crown winning horse, Citation. Internationally known sculptor Oskar Hansen (who created the sculptures on Hoover Dam) was commissioned to make the dozens of leaf shaped dishes that Virginia Metalcrafters is perhaps best known for. These magnificent little treasures are actually modeled from nature - each is signed and dated on the base and each tells you the name of the plant or tree the leaf is taken from. Many people collect the entire series.
In 1950 Virginia Metalcrafters began their line of Colonial Williamsburg brass and cast iron reproductions. Virginia Metalcrafters' uses the same hand casting and finishing methods as those used in the original Colonial pieces.
Up until recently Virginia Metalcrafters makes licensed products for Colonial Williamsburg, Historic Charleston, Mount Vernon, The Smithsonian, Winterthur, Historic Newport, Old Sturbridge Village and the National Trust. The company manufactured a broad array of gifts and decorative accessories including tabletop items, lamp, lighting, fireplace accessories and garden accessories made in brass, iron, aluminum, bronze and pewter. We have recently been told that Virginia Metalcrafters closed its doors forever this past year.
Vintage Virginia Metalcrafters pieces are quite collectible -- in particular the Oskar Hansen leaf dishes are accelerating in value. ALL Virginia Metalcrafters pieces are marked -- usually on the bottom -- with their distinctive VM markings and many of their pieces are dated. Since VM is no longer in business, their pieces will only become more valuable with time.
Property Description:
Location Description:
On Route 250 (E. Main St) on the eastern part of the City of Waynesboro.
2 miles from route Interstate 64, 10 miles from Interstate 81.
Building 1
Built in 1971. 17,500 SF, single level, concrete floors. 2 dock doors with dock boards. 1 roll-up drive in door. Cement floors. 20-24' ceiling height.
Building 2
Portions built in 1947 & 1967. 2 dock doors with dock boards. Cement floors. 18' ceiling height.
Building 3
Built 1927. 50,000 SF of main level with wooden floors and 50,000 SF of lower level. Good natural light. 12' ceiling height.
Building 4
Manor Home/Retail Showroom. 1,875 SF on the first floor and 725 SF on the second.
Building 5
6,000 SF storage building. 2 levels.
M-2 & C-2 (3 empty lots along Hunter Street)
All public utilities. 220v 440v service.
Fire monitored by ADT. Wet sprinkler system throughout.
An irregular shaped parcel of approximately 9.75 acres with 1,534 SF of frontage on E. Main St, 495 SF of frontage along Hunter St, and 238 SF along its western boundary. A small stream runs along the NW portion of the property of which a portion is located in a FEMA Flood Hazard Area and more particularly shown on the full survey.
All Values based on Mint Condition only
Kings Genius, CAST MARKED "COPYRIGHTED 1938 VIRGINIA METALCRAFTERS WAYNESBORO VIRGINIA 18-1" ON BACK...DOORSTOP STANDS 11 1/2 INCHES TALL X 12 INCHES WIDE AND IS MADE OF OF CAST IRON...REFERENCED ON PAGE 45 OF "FIGURATIVE CAST IRON A COLLECTOR'S GUIDE" COPYRIGHT 1994 BY DOUGLAS CONGDON-MARTIN - $128.00