Rosewood and Leather Stool or Ottoman by Don Shoemaker
View Similar Items
Rosewood and Leather Stool or Ottoman by Don Shoemaker
About the Item
- Creator:Don S. Shoemaker (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)Width: 21.5 in (54.61 cm)Depth: 17.25 in (43.82 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960-1969
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Missing tassels, wear to supporting string under seat. Some light wear to legs. Few light scratches to seat, consistent with use.
- Seller Location:Norwalk, CT
- Reference Number:Seller: WH012418-1191stDibs: LU291639659621
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 cocobolo, a Mexican rosewood, and he decided to delve into furniture design. In the late 1950s, he 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 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 in 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.
- Ingmar Relling for Westnofa "Flex" Leather Lounge Chair & OttomanBy Westnofa Furniture, Ingmar RellingLocated in Norwalk, CTA beautiful, sculptural Scandinavian modern lounge chair and matching ottoman designed by Ingmar Relling for Westnofa, Norway, 1970's. Featuring sling arms and a sling seat, upholste...Category
Vintage 1970s Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Beech
- Pair of Danish Midcentury Mongolian Sheepskin Lounge Chairs & OttomansLocated in Norwalk, CTRelax in sheer bliss with this rare and exquisite pair of Danish mid-century easy chairs and footstools. Upholstered in shaggy, plush white Mongolian sheepskin, these chairs provide ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsWool, Teak
- Eric Merthen for Ire Möbel "Admiral" Chair & Ottoman in Rosewood & LeatherBy Eric Merthen, Ire Mobel 1Located in Norwalk, CTNOTE: Dimensions provided refer to the armchair. The ottoman measures H 15.75" x W 24" x D 24". Eric Merthen's imaginative vision comes to life in the Admiral chair...Category
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Brazilian Modernist Rosewood & Leather Sofa, circa 1970sBy Sergio Rodrigues, Percival LaferLocated in Norwalk, CTGenerous proportions and luxurious finishes set this fabulous Brazilian Modernist sofa apart from the rest. The frame is crafted from gorgeous soli...Category
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas
MaterialsLeather, Wood
$7,440 Sale Price20% Off - Pair of Brazilian Modernist Rosewood & Leather Easy Chairs, circa 1970sBy Sergio Rodrigues, Percival LaferLocated in Norwalk, CTGenerous proportions and luxurious finishes set this fabulous pair of Brazilian Modernist lounge chairs apart from the rest. The frames are crafted from gorgeous solid rosewood, with interesting sculptural chamfering at the legs. The tufted cushions are finished in beautiful caramel-colored leather and fastened by fringed straps which give just the right amount of Bohemian flair. Though these chairs are unsigned, they bear many similarities to contemporaneous designs by Percival Lafer, Sergio Rodrigues, and Jean Gillon. As one of the world's leading producers of rosewood, the nation of Brazil has long held close ties to the furniture industry. Yet, it was not until the second half of the 20th Century when the South American country - long known solely as an exporter of raw materials - became a design powerhouse in its own right. During this time, designers such as Percival Lafer and Sergio Rodrigues drew upon a unique shared cultural aesthetic and a rebellious spirit to create some of the coolest and most sought-after furniture of the Modern era. Brazilian Modernist furniture...Category
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- De Sede DS-47 Lounge Chair & Ottoman in Nubuck Leather, c. 1970'sBy De SedeLocated in Norwalk, CTNOTE: Dimensions provided refer to the armchair. The ottoman measures H 14.5" x W 23" x D 25". Introducing a rare and exceptional find from the iconic 1970's: a De Sede DS-47 lounge...Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
- Rosewood and leather lounge Chair and Ottoman Don ShoemakerBy Don S. ShoemakerLocated in Atlanta, GACrafted in beautiful rosewood, the lounge chair and ottoman was an iconic design by Don Shoemaker for Senal. The chair with a rocking seat and the folding ottoman...Category
Vintage 1970s Mexican Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Rosewood
$4,320 Sale Price / set33% Off - Rosewood Lounge Chair and Ottoman Don ShoemakerBy Don S. ShoemakerLocated in Atlanta, GACrafted in beautiful rosewood, the lounge chair and ottoman was an iconic design by Don Shoemaker for Senal. The chair with a rocking seat and the folding ottoman...Category
Vintage 1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Chaise Longues
MaterialsLeather, Rosewood
$4,600 / set - Mole Ottoman - Sergio Rodrigues, Rosewood and Brown Leather 50'By Sergio RodriguesLocated in Houston, TXThe design originated with a 1957 commission for the photographer Otto Stupakoff, who asked Rodrigues for a "spread-out" sofa for his studio. The design sat in Rodrigues’ company Oca...Category
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Footstools
MaterialsLeather, Rosewood
- Pair of Drexel Heritage Ottomans or StoolsBy DrexelLocated in Redding, CTClassic pair of Drexel Heritage Ottomans or Foot Stools. Perfect for under a console or at the end of a bed. Signed and in very good condition....Category
Vintage 1980s North American American Classical Footstools
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
- Don Shoemaker Sling "Swinger" Chair and Ottoman, Mexico 1960sBy Don S. ShoemakerLocated in Camden, MEA Classic 20th century chair and ottoman from one of the great craftsman's workshops of Mexico: Senal, S.A., Don Shoemaker's tropical paradise in Michoacan, Mexico. This iconic chai...Category
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Cocobolo
- Brazilian Stool Footrest Ottoman by Jean GillonBy Jean GillonLocated in New York, NYHard to find item by Brazilian designer Jean Gillon. This example is in fair condition, showing cosmetic wear and one tenon has been cracked and re-glued.Category
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Footstools
MaterialsLeather, Wood