Don Shoemaker Sling "Swinger" Chair and Ottoman, Mexico 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Don S. Shoemaker (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32.5 in (82.55 cm)Width: 31 in (78.74 cm)Depth: 28.5 in (72.39 cm)Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Excellent original condition. Authenticated.
- Seller Location:Camden, ME
- Reference Number:Seller: App 931stDibs: U1107108984109
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Camden, ME
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View AllMid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Cord, Oak
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Sculptures and Carvings
Cocobolo
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Bauhaus Chaise Longues
Aluminum
Early 20th Century Italian Art Deco Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Rosewood
You May Also Like
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Cocobolo
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood, Cocobolo
Vintage 1960s Mexican Lounge Chairs
Cocobolo
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1970s Mexican Lounge Chairs
Leather, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood
