A bit of history on Farber Brothers Krome Kraft, well let me begin by saying brother's Louis and Harry Farber were born in Europe in the late 19th century, specifically in Russia. They immigrated to none other than the United States of America just after the turn of the 20th century.
Louis and Harry began working for S. W. Farber, their older brother. S. W Farber sold products under the name Farberware which is a common name in kitchenware even up to today! In 1915, they formed their own company under the name Farber Brothers 'Krome-Kraft'. Despite what many people, shoppers in particular believe, Farberware and Farber Brothers are synonymous. There is absolutely no relation between the two companies.
Deciding to make hollow-ware and brass products, Louis and Harry decided they could sell their products at competitive prices. This business concept was successful for give or take fifty years! The well known 'clip-on, clip-off holder' was patented in 1932, as seen in photographs in my Etsy store. The intention was that if the glass insert broke, the stand that held the china would be held on to and the piece would be inexpensively replaced.
The 1950's came and went. Unfortunately, the chrome holders went out of style and brass versions were created at a cheaper prices. By the mid-1960's, sales continued to decline and the company shut down operations. In 2011, this leaves us with a legacy imprinted on our minds. Due to the fact that these pieces are discontinued, they are terribly hard to come by! You will either find the glass insert or the 'Krome-Kraft' metal stand. Rarely does one come across the two pieces in perfect condition. Today, we can find this stemware and barware in many variations. These variations include cocktail, beer, and wine glasses, cordials, tumblers, decanters, ice pails, pitchers, decanters, and juice jugs. One can even find 'Krome-Kraft' in salt and pepper shakers and oil and vinegar kitchenware.
As with depression glass, 'Krome-Kraft' has rarity depending on color. Colors included amber, amethyst, green, royal blue, crystal white, ebony, milk white, pistachio, emerald, red, and others. Most commonly found would be amethyst and amber, which are variations of purple and orange. Ebony, or black seems to be the rarest with blue and red. Regardless, any piece is truly a treasure to come across. People collect these pieces and the majority of which are in hutches and china cabinets tucked away.
Farber Brothers 'Krome-Kraft' continues to attract collectors' attention today. For a collector to come across these pieces creates a good day. For a person who appreciates non-tarnishing chrome, silver, or brass style holders and glass or china inserts, the Farber Brothers name should be recognized.
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