Larkin desks - general info request

So, my mom recently acquired a Larkin desk from a family member, and recently I've run into several variations at antique stores, estate sales. So I've tried to learn a little about these. What I've found is these were given as premiums for persons who bought $10 worth of soap? I'm trying to figure this out economically.

It appears Larkin's model was akin to modern Mary Kay cosmetics. $10 of soap would be sold to a reseller, then they would receive a Larkin desk.

Another thing I find fascinating is that this furniture was mass manufactured, but still, it boggles my mind that at this time in history, $10 of soap = an oak piece of furniture.

Am I wrong on this? Thoughts? Considerations? Sarcastic remarks?

 

Not sure what the time frame is. Around 1900?
$10 would have been a lot of money at that time? I'm just guessing, but soap probably retailed for 5-10 cents a bar.

 

Mods, please delete this thread. After more research, I've confirmed my questions.

Thanks.

 

Don't delete the thread. Tell us what you found.

 

I dated a Mary Kay senior rep once ..my pink period.

 

I had this print - trimmed as you can see (and it didn't sell) - but the original format was 19" x 15". This was a soap promotion. For 10¢ in coins or stamps, you got one of these prints plus a sample bar of soap.


For $10, that would be 100 prints plus 100 bars of soap.

 

We here are ALWAYS learning as well!!!!!!! Part of WHY we're here!!!

 

I'm tired and read this, but maybe I misread it. I see where they received a premium of some kind, but not a desk.
Looks more like the desks came out later and were part of the catalog. Have to go back and read again, but I'm sensing the desk was obtained more like Blue Chip stamps.

https://www.antiquetrader.com/antiques/furniture_detective_larkin_desk/

 

There's an old salesman's story about an east coast menswear store.
To help sell their more expensive suits to a client looking for a less expensive model, the salesman would drop a pocket watch into on of the pockets , after suggesting the client try it on....just to see how nicely it fits.
Upon discovering the watch.....the client would buy the costlier suit....thinking he was getting a bargain.

Yes, Mods....please see to the members wishes and delete this thread.....along with any other threads this member may have posted, or any threads where he received comments or help from our community.
His desire not to let us have an open discussion & not share information he's found on the topic flies in the face of this communities open and helpful nature & suggests that we are only here to serve his needs, and nothing more !

 

The thought of deleting a thread when all questions have been answered to the op's satisfaction, boggles the mind. We haven't even seen what it is about, but we don't matter, we are only meant to answer questions.
And who cares if other people want to know about their Larkin desk, let them do their own research.
We might as well delete the entire site, what's the use of it all....

@clutteredcloset49 , thank you for the link, I for one appreciate you taking the trouble even after busryde's request to delete this thread.

 

I'm gonna guess that busryde figured if he/she had found the info they wanted elsewhere, then this thread was just clutter. But the question having been asked, there will always be other people interested in the answer.

If @busryde comes back and still wants the thread pulled... so be it.

Personally, I hope they tell us what it is they found (or provide a link).

 

I have a small Larkin piece too. A sideboard. When I did the research I learned of the premium gifting. Soap for furniture. My piece is small, not like the larger elaborate pieces, but to me just as significant. It was purchased by a lady in NY State. The labeling is still on the back of the piece.I also followed this story as I am a Frank Lloyd Wright follower and he designed the Larkin Building, which sadly is gone. They were one of the first mail order companies going back to the 1800's. I don't think you would have gotten a furniture piece for just $10 worth of soap. To me it was more like an early day Sears catalog store. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larkin_Company

 

That article is a very interesting read tossing Roycrofters and Buffalo Pottery into the mix.

I get the impression that the furniture may have been available as you describe, but that it was also available through mail order, and that the term "Larkin desk" became somewhat generic for a type of desk produced by more than the one company.

 

Yes, so in the past weekend, I found three Larkin desks/cabinets. One identical to my mom's, except for the carved decorations. Prices ranged from $400-$900. All of which I thought was way, way too expensive. I see it plausible that a piece of mass produced furniture was given as a premium. I asked the mods to delete simply because I thought my original post was clutter.

 

Yes, I thought is was interesting as well. As soon as I read Elbert Hubbard's name I was wondering if the article was going to lead to Roycroft.

The following indicates that the catalog worked somewhat like S&H or Blue Chip stamps - a person saved enough points to redeem for merchandise. So looks like they were the innovators for that as well.

"The reseller not only made a profit, she got redeemable premium points good toward purchases from the Larkin catalog."

 

Nope, not clutter at all. You asked a good question. In this day and age, it is inconceivable that a person would get free furniture just for buying soap.

Yet, that is exactly what Larkin did. It may have been a smaller piece of furniture, perhaps a chair or a small desk. Think of it as making a bulk purchase. For that, you got free stuff. $10 worth of soap back then was ALOT of soap.

 

So, I'm glad to see this thread has taken on a life of its own, please don't ban me mods...to contribute a bit more, $10 in 1900 equates to $250-300 today. Average income around 1900 was $450/yr. Different economy back then, can't imagine Irish Spring giving me a piece of furniture for buying $300 of soap today.

 

Don't worry, they won't.
But please remember, all threads are learning tools for all of us and for visitors.

 

Maybe we are getting ripped off by the soap companies. What are their profits for last year? Maybe we should be getting a whole pallet of soap for that $300.

 

air Miles....think Air Miles....or Racuten....or 3 cents off a liter of gas...or any number of rewards schemes...