Vintage Cast Iron Bookends

Cast iron had been in use for nearly 2500 years. From bridges to toys, doorstops and bookends, cast iron was in wide use through the early part of the Twentieth Century. During this period, many companies in the United States were producing what are now highly collectible items of a bygone era.

Vintage cast iron bookends are among the most highly prized antique collectables. Along with cast iron doorstops and toys, truly vintage cast iron bookends can command very high prices. Several American companies had a heyday producing what were once just decorative items for practical everyday use.

Hubley Manufacturing was just one of several companies that produced what are now collectible antique bookends. Decorative and functional, Hubley bookends were made in variety of finishes with some patterns featuring hand painted detail. Opening in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the early 1890s, Hubley produced cast iron toys, doorstops and cast iron bookends until the company closed in 1965.

Today, vintage bookends by Hubley have sold at auction for several thousand dollars. A hand painted set often referred to as the Sailor and Captain Bookend Set, is quite rare and a great example of classic Hubley work.

The name Bradley and Hubbard has become legendary among collectors of vintage cast iron bookends. The company began as a producer of cast iron clocks but the events of history propelled B and H into the manufacturing of other types of metal goods. Cast iron was a staple material for the production of everything from cookware to doorstops. The period from the early 1900s though the 1940s were the heyday for B and H bookends and several highly collectible items were issued during this period. Some very fine examples of Bradley and Hubbard vintage bookends are in a collection at the Smithsonian Institute.