If it weren’t for his honeymoon, American furniture designer Don S. Shoemaker and his company, Señal S.A., 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 cocobolo, a Mexican rosewood, and he decided to delve into furniture design.
In the late 1950s, Shoemaker started a small factory, producing hand-carved desks, armchairs, dining room tables, decorative boxes and bowls, and serveware. The popularity of Shoemaker’s furnishings grew throughout Mexico, and his modest factory became Señal S.A., 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 Señal S.A. tables, lounge chairs and other furniture.
$20,212Sale Price|25% Off
Cocobolo Dining Table by Don S. Shoemaker, 1960s Modern Design
By Senal, Don S. Shoemaker
Located in Chattanooga, TN
An architectural marvel in living form, this Cocobolo rosewood dining table by Don S. Shoemaker for Señal, Mexico, commands attention as both functional object and sculptural stateme...
Cocobolo
$3,696Sale Price|23% Off
H 11.32 in W 18.9 in D 18.51 in
Scandinavian Rosewood Extendable Dining Table by Hans Olsen
By Hans Olsen
Located in Pasadena, TX
87" Scandinavian rosewood extendable dining table Stunning rosewood table with 2 leaves Expands from 47.5" to 87".
Rosewood
Artedi Post Modern Marble Glass Dining Table
By Artedi
Located in Sheffield, MA
Made in Italy, this 20th century glass, marble and brass accented dining table by noted Italian furniture maker, Artedi, makes a statement in ...
Marble, Brass
McNichols Dining Table
By Anton Maka
Located in Shelby Twp, MI
The McNichols dining table is made of a solid walnut board top that has been hand-selected to show off the natural beauty and character of the black walnut. The tabletop is set on so...
Walnut
Iconoclast Modern Hardwood Dining Table by Izm
Located in Edmonton, Alberta
The Iconoclast dining table is made of 100% solid, hardwood and features a unique pedestal base. This piece commands attention and is the perfect center piece for any open plan dinin...
Hardwood
Iconoclast Modern Hardwood Dining Table by Izm Design
By Izm Design
Located in Edmonton, Alberta
The Iconoclast dining table is made of 100% solid, hardwood and features a unique pedestal base. This piece commands attention and is the perfect centre piece for any open plan dinin...
Hardwood
Circular Walnut Expanding Dining Table "Concord Dining Table"
By Anton Maka
Located in Shelby Twp, MI
The concord expanding dining table is made of a solid walnut top with solid walnut leaves to be added for extra surface area. The legs are made of solid wa...
Walnut
$14,000 / item
H 29.5 in W 140 in D 50 in
Large Ebonized Dining or Conference Room Table Custom Made by BH&A
Located in Sheffield, MA
This is a made-to-order bold and elegant clean lined conference table made by our own shop. It features a pair of large geometric pedestal bases supporting a streamlined elegant top. The pedestals can be spaced to suit your needs. Used it for a large dining room table or a conference room table...
Poplar
Nenuphar Dining Table in Green by Laura Gonzalez
Located in Paris, FR
The Nenuphar dining table is crafted with a hand-painted, lacquered wood tabletop, painted with our signature waterlily motif in shades of cloudy, opalescent green which is supported...
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
Large Deep Black Steel Dining Table
By Argosy Designs
Located in Treadwell, NY
Collection I: Marianas table The Marianas table is an expansive presence in a room. Featuring a tabletop constructed from Richlite, a paper-based material infused with resin, the ...
Steel
"À Table" Dining Table
By Project 213A
Located in Macieira de Sarnes, PT
À table - dining table. An asymmetric table top standing on five oval legs. Each segment carved from an individual piece of cherry wood to showcase the natura...
Cherry
Large Post Modern Oval Dining Table after Evans
By Paul Evans, Milo Baughman
Located in New York, NY
Spectacular oval dining table on Cityscape like architectural brass base, with inset oval glass top, on solid oak racetrack molding. Impressive scale, top quality design and construc...
Brass
Walnut Dining Table, Custom Made by Petersen Antiques
By Petersen Antiques
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This walnut dining table is seen here in 98" x 40", however it can be built in any size Because each table is bench-made in our own Los Angeles workshop you can influence all aspect...
Walnut