Expert: Eileen Cronk - 3/12/2004

Question
ijust read a question regarding the flemish art co--i just bought a house tht was built in the very early 1900's and when i broke down the walls i found a small wooden wall plaque behind a wall. this piece is a sculpture of a dog and the logo is exactly the same as the other woman that wrote in to you about her plaque-- have you found anything at all about this company-- it reads flemish quality is standard New York with 2 bears holding a sign-- can you tell me anything about this

Answer
Hello Phil
Nice to hear from you.
I am sending you what I could find on this Flemish Company.
Not much I'm afraid.
In the article below, you will see the word "pyography".
If you have never heard this word it means wood burning.
Pyography started in Victorian times as a craft for ladies.
They first used a hot poker for their wood burning, then The Flemish Art Co. started to sell tools made for this purpose.
The first reference I can find for the company is in 1880.
I have no idea when it actually started.
Is the piece you found a wood burning?
I have seen some of this art, and because it is beautifully colored it can fool you into thinking its painted. If you look close, the shading in the color is actually burnt wood.
I think I mentioned to the lady you referred to that my father spoke Flemish and came from Belgium, so that makes me think the Flemish Art Co. was probably started by someone from "The Old Country"
as my father would say :-)
And the bear symbols were familiar to me as I had seen them on some of Dads old papers from Belgium.
Here is the piece I found, and I thank you for writing about this most interesting topic.
Also be aware that pyography as a collectable is becoming popular and prices are rising.
Regards
Eileen
Factories
It was inevitable that factories would materialize to supply the demand created by the invention of the benzine-fueled tool and the ladies magazines. First and foremost among suppliers of tools and wood items was The Flemish Art Company of New York, so much so that the name "Flemish Art" became one more generic term for pyrography, along with burnt wood and wood etch as well, and poker work or poker art from its earlier life.

The Sears Roebuck Company started to offer some of the Flemish Art Company's supplies in the Sears catalogue. Later they switched and got their supplies from the competition, Thayer and Chandler of Chicago, Illinois.