Large Rosewood Tray by Don Shoemaker
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Large Rosewood Tray by Don Shoemaker
About the Item
- Creator:Don S. Shoemaker (Designer),Senal (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)Width: 16.25 in (41.28 cm)Depth: 23.25 in (59.06 cm)
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Long Beach, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1768211409961
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.
- Don Shoemaker Serving TrayBy Don S. Shoemaker, SenalLocated in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo LeonBorn in Nebraska, Don S. Shoemaker studied painting at The Fine Arts Institution of Chicago. In the late 1940s, he moved to Mexico with his family and settled in Santa Maria de Guido...Category
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- Expertly Restored - Don S. Shoemaker Rosewood Oval Tray for Señal FurnitureBy Don S. Shoemaker, SenalLocated in Los Angeles, CATransforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precision. With over 17 years of artisanal exper...Category
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Serving Pieces
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- Don Shoemaker Decorative Tray for SeñalBy Don S. Shoemaker, SenalLocated in Los Angeles, CAServing tray by Don Shoemaker for Senal of Mexico. The tray has a dark rosewood frame with integrated handles at either end, and the tray surface is inlaid with precious wood veneer ...Category
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- Don Shoemaker for Señal Marquetry Paper TrayBy Don S. Shoemaker, SenalLocated in Los Angeles, CACocobolo paper tray with geometric pattern by Don Shoemaker for his company Señal, c.1960s, Mexico. Shoemaker is known for the marquetry in his work, which is clearly visible in the ...Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
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- Don Shoemaker for Señal Diamond Geometric Marquetry TrayBy Don S. Shoemaker, SenalLocated in Los Angeles, CAServing tray by Don Shoemaker for Senal of Mexico. The tray has a dark rosewood frame with integrated handles at either end, and the tray surfa...Category
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
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- Don Shoemaker Geometric Marquetry Decorative Tray for SeñalBy Don S. Shoemaker, SenalLocated in Los Angeles, CAA rosewood serving tray by Don Shoemaker for his company Señal in the 1960s. The surface of the tray has a repeating geometric marquetry pattern in a gradient of local Mexican hardwo...Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
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