Retro Renovation

Remodel & decorate in Mid Century Style

Home / What to Collect / ... ebay, etsy, craigslist

Tom Tru, distributed by Raymor

pam kueber - Updated: January 13, 2020

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

tom tru I have discovered Tom Tru. Searching around on the google, I find anecdotal information: The company, Tom Tru Corp., was based in Lambertville, New Jersey. One site says that the company’s mid century pop art work was distributed by Raymor. Media included: Tiles, canvas prints, silkscreen wall hangings, painted (?) wood blocks. One thread said Robert Bushong (signed “R. Bushong) created wall hangings for the company. Above: That’s a Robert Bushong print — on canvas, framed in aluminum — created for Tom Tru, of Lambertville, NJ. For sale from ebay seller moderndecodence (thanks for permission to show the photo) — (link now expired) — along with the orb-shaped Nivico sound sphere speakers. A very big round <3

Reader Interactions

Comments are closed. 

45 comments

Comments

  1. Jean says

    I have a tom tru astist-designer original 46×46 floral on black backsground. The tag on the back tells his history and looks to be quiet old
    Does this have any value?

  3. Kathleen Cwirko says

    Have a very cool R. Bushong wall hanging of a Venice scene in gold, brown and burnt orange.
    In great condition with original wood and hanging string.
    Please help me find a valuation for this.

    • pam kueber says

      Readers cannot post photos to this site. You can post it to a photo-sharing program (flickr, etc) and then post a link, i fyou like…

  6. Kevin says

    Figured I’d add another relic to the list of surviving artwork of R. Bushong. I found this in Grey Bears Santa Cruz, California, a place for seniors to connect and thrive. There is a thrift store with amazing pieces, which is where i found this gem. The colors spoke to me and I definitely love how it compliments my own unique sense of style. Enjoy!

    http://theamendment.tumblr.com/post/79821183619/r-bushong

  7. Rosie says

    I have a textile print that has Tom Tru in gold on the frame. This is an optical illusion of ducks (geese) flying. When you look they are flying one way and then the other way if you move your head slightly. this is burnt orange and a shade of brown. Does anyone have any idea of how to get this appriased? It was purchased in Dallas in 1965 at a furniture store.

    • mark says

      Since each Tom Tru was produced in some quantity and occasionally even in two sizes, with the intention of being flexible, inexpensive decor, value is essentially what the market will bear, and all in the eye of the beholder. The simplicity of midcentury art has regained popularity recently, but if I were you I’d start on eBay. Check out the completed listings, and keep watching. I’ve worked with a couple of restorer/appraisers, and each one has researched auction catalogs without luck, and then looked on eBay and rounded up 10-20%, on the assumption that online art auctions are undervalued. (But is that true for Tru, too?! Who knows….) Condition is key, as is size and subject matter. There’s an attractive Tom Tru flower print by Helen Webber currently showing — but not selling — on eBay. It’s small (just 20″ square) but priced steeply, at the price a 4′ square edition might fetch. And it’s only in fair condition.

      Your piece — is it by MC Escher? In less copyright-restricted times, Tom Tru often reproduced well-known art, like Josef Albers’ Homage to the Square. I’m a big fan of Tom Tru, and I have a few. I’d love to see a picture of yours –

  8. J Crotty says

    Hello I bought a R Bushong painting of a city scape on a mirror years ago.
    It is quite large. Perfect condition. Beautiful creams browns and dark browns. Very art deco.
    I have seen a few things on tapestry but nothing on a mirror.
    I would love to know more.

  9. mark says

    Hey Tonya –

    Any stamp on the back identifying it as a Tru? Age, those stained wood bars, and a printing on Belgian linen are strong indicators of a Tom Tru. I think I’ve seen this piece a couple of times before online, and it’s been identified as a Bushong. Nice piece, thanks for posting a pic!

    And check out this funky piece just posted on a fellow traveler’s blog:

    http://briannabrumfield.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/tom-tru/