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Don Shoemaker for Senal S.A. Cocobolo Rosewood 'Swinger' Rocking Chair, Signed

About the Item

Named the 'Swinger Chair' for its pivoting mechanism that allows you to swing in your seat, this incredible cocobolo rosewood and black leather 'Swinger' rocking armchair by leading 1960s modernist designer Don Shoemaker for Senal S.A. (Mexico) is highly sought after by interior designers and avid collectors alike. The thick black leather hides used for the sling are complemented with leather buttons connecting the sling to the frame of the chair. Matching black leather removable seat cushion has beautiful patina as can be seen in the photos. Artistically sculpted exotic cocobolo rosewood put together in an eye catching and interesting biomorphic form with shoemaker's signature rosewood insert accents for the feet and upper back of the chair. Exceptional craftsmanship utilizing innovative links and joints. Metal brackets connecting the seat to the frame allow the chair to gently rock - consider this as a nursing chair for the design-centric home. Senal S.A. label on lower bar of chair. Mexican modern is a style that fits incredibly well with Mid-Century Modern, Scandanavian or Danish Modern, Brazilian Modern, and Hollywood Regency. It is also a great addition for interior designers to turn an otherwise simple contemporary space and add a splash of wild and interesting. Whether you are designing a Mid-Century Modern home, contemporary, post-modern or french neoclassical apartment, this Don Shoemaker Swinger rocking chair is the perfect accent to any space. Could also work great in a craftsman or arts and crafts home or penthouse apartment. Also consider mixing it up in a traditional, classical, Industrial or Art Deco room with a splash of juxtaposition. With such unique style, this rocker by Don Shoemaker would also be an Apt choice in a commercial project such as a hotel lobby lounge, members club, creative design studio or high-rise executive office. Consider using as a throne chair, lounge chair, side chair, occasional chair, consider even for a dressing room. Would be great as a reading armchair or a rocking chair to soak in a view or your favorite movie or TV show. MEASUREMENTS: H 33" x W 30.5" x D 30" Seat Height: 17" CONDITION: Good vintage condition with attractive patina and light wear. Sturdy and structurally sound, ready for immediate use. Leather has attractive patina, no rips or tears or major issues. Rosewood is in good vintage condition with light patina and gorgeous cocobolo wood grain.

Creator:

Don S. Shoemaker (Designer),Senal (Manufacturer)

Dimensions:

Height: 33 in (83.82 cm)Width: 30.5 in (77.47 cm)Depth: 30 in (76.2 cm)Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Leather,Rosewood

Place of Origin:

United States

Period:

1960-1969

Date of Manufacture:

1960s

Condition:

Good vintage condition with light wear and attractive patina. See description for more details. Ready to be used immediately.

Seller Location:

Los Angeles, CA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1330226629082

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Shop All Don S. Shoemaker

Don S. Shoemaker

If it weren’t for his honeymoon, American furniture designer Don S. Shoemaker might not have played any role in Mexican modernism of the mid-20th century.

Born in Nebraska in 1919, Shoemaker studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago during the 1930s. In the 1940s he got married, and he and his wife, Barbara, ventured to Mexico for their honeymoon. Enamored with the country, Shoemaker decided that Mexico should become the newlyweds' permanent home. They settled in a town called Santa Maria de Guido in Michoacán, where Shoemaker spent his days painting and growing rare plants.

Through horticulture, Shoemaker became inspired by Mexico’s tropical woods, such as the cocobolo, a Mexican rosewood, and he decided to delve into furniture design. In the late 1950s, he started a small factory, producing hand-carved armchairs, dining room tables, decorative boxes and bowls, and serveware. The popularity of Shoemaker’s furnishings grew throughout Mexico, and his small factory became the Señal S.A. company, employing more than 100 skilled artisans and carpenters.

Shoemaker’s handcrafted designs were essentially a mid-century modern interpretation of traditional Mexican household furnishings, and like Clara Porset — an unsung Cuban-born activist, writer and designer who drew on Mexican craft traditions in her concepts for furniture — he found inspiration from his adopted country. These influences can be seen in iconic Shoemaker originals like the Sling collection of seating, the Suspension stool and several of his table designs.

Shoemaker's furniture was exhibited in showrooms in several major Mexican cities and across the U.S., including Houston, Chicago, and Los Angeles (and mid-century modernist ideas that traveled between Mexico and California didn’t make one-way trips — they bounced back and forth).

After Shoemaker died in 1990, his son George took over Señal S.A. The company closed after George’s death in the early 2000s.

Shoemaker’s Mexican modern furnishings continue to be coveted by avid furniture collectors around the world. From 2016 to 2017, the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City dedicated a retrospective exhibition to honoring his work.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Don S. Shoemaker desks, seating, decorative objects and serveware.