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HANDICRAFTS IN THE CITY-WHAT THEIR
COMMERCIAL SIGNIFICANCE IS UNDER
METROPOLITAN CONDITIONS: BY MARY K.
SIMKHOVITCH
revival of handicrafts in America has taken place
gely in the country where rent is nominal, and where
the most part the crafts have been supplementary
other occupations. It is a question whether the de-
opment of the arts and crafts is suitable to the con-
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ciples can be laid down they may prove timely. For the enthusiasm
the word handicraft arouses is prone to be most indiscriminate, and the
public will readily say "how interesting" or "how lovely"
without re-
gard to the financial success of the undertaking, the wages of the
worker, or the permanent value of crafts training.
   What the nature of the problem is may be indicated by haphazard
reference to any craft. Take bookbinding. Bookbinding pays under
two conditions, when there is division of labor, when in fact it is no
longer a handicraft (i. e., the finished product of one hand-worker)
but a trade; or when, being the product of the hand-worker, it is so
uniquely interesting or beautiful that it can command a monopoly
price. Here we have the key to one guiding principle. Anything that
is unique can command a unique price, and in so far as any craft ex-
hibits a very superior quality of workmanship that craft is a financial
success. This is just as true in the city as in the country. If unusually
beautiful metal work, pottery, lace, embroidery, woodwork, etc., can
be produced it will command the unusual price and is economically
justifiable.
   Superior quality in crafts work depends upon two things: design
and execution. And although the handicrafts extremist insists upon
designer and worker being one and the same person, there seems to
be no reason why in many of the handicrafts the two functions should
not be separated, though the worker must be able to appreciate good
design and the designer ought to know good work when he sees it.
Most of the crafts have proved inferior in one or other of these direc-
tions. And it is clear that work of a monopoly value, good in design
and superior in execution, will necessarily be extremely limited in
extent.
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