Mexican Midcentury Don Shoemaker Leather Sling Chair
View Similar Items
Mexican Midcentury Don Shoemaker Leather Sling Chair
About the Item
- Creator:Don S. Shoemaker (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 27 in (68.58 cm)Width: 23 in (58.42 cm)Depth: 26 in (66.04 cm)Seat Height: 15 in (38.1 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Patina/cracking to leather. One replaced peg.
- Seller Location:BROOKLYN, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1793215794962
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.
- Mid century vintage leather sling 657 lounge chair by Charles pollockBy Charles Pollock, KnollLocated in BROOKLYN, NYMid century vintage leather sling lounge chair ‘657’ by Charles pollock. Light tan thick hide leather sling with black cushion. Labeled knoll. Go...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Mid century modern black leather iron sling lounge chair by LeathercraftBy Jerry JohnsonLocated in BROOKLYN, NYMid century black leather sling lounge chair designed by Jerry Johnson for Leathercraft in 1954. Good vintage condition ready for use. Located in Brooklyn NYC Measures 24 x 20 x 31...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsIron
$2,138 Sale Price24% Off - Mid Century Tan Tooled leather sling Safari rocking chair Angel Pazmino EcuadorBy Angel PazminoLocated in BROOKLYN, NYMid Century Light Solid wood rocking sling safari Tan tooled Leather chair by Ecuadorian designer - Angel Pazmino. Original tooled tan leather. Beautiful Patina fading on leather and...Category
Vintage 1960s Ecuadorean Mid-Century Modern Rocking Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
$1,715 Sale Price30% Off - Midcentury Lounge chair Teak and LeatherBy Alf Svensson & Yngve SandströmLocated in BROOKLYN, NYBeautiful Mid-Century Scandinavian Lounge / reclining chair in teakwood with dark thick saddle brown leather. Newly upholstered. Has three positions to recline. Sleek design and wond...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Teak
- Midcentury Scandinavian Modern Solid Rosewood Red Leather Lounge ChairBy Arne Norell, Illum WikkelsøLocated in BROOKLYN, NYFabulous Scandinavian Modern low lounge chair attributed to Illum Wikkelsø / Arne Norell c. 1960 Solid Rosewood frame and red leather cushions. Made in Denmark. Located in Brooklyn N...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Canvas, Rosewood
$3,150 Sale Price30% Off - Midcentury Maroon Leather Lounge Chair by Tito Agnoli Poltrona FrauBy Tito Agnoli, Poltrona FrauLocated in BROOKLYN, NYVintage Mid-Century Modern Maroon leather Lounge chair by Tito Agnoli for Poltrona Frau Italy, circa 1970. Low Modern designed lounge chair with 2 front caster and 2 rear legs - Very...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather
$2,888 Sale Price24% Off
- 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
- Don Shoemaker "Sling Sloucher" ChairBy Don S. ShoemakerLocated in Oakland, CA1960s Don Shoemaker "Sling Sloucher" chair. Shoemaker was an American expat living in Mexico who was inspired to create modern versions of traditional Mexican furniture designs. A...Category
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Cocobolo
- Don Shoemaker Sling Sloucher Chairs Señal, Sculptural and Organic, MexicoBy Don S. Shoemaker, SenalLocated in Santa Gertrudis, BalearesDon S. Shoemaker (1919-1990) was a US (NE) born Mexican designer and painter, probably the most representative designer of Mexico Modernist furniture...Category
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Mexican Modern, Don S Shoemaker, Sling Swinger chair with footstool, 1960'sBy Don S. ShoemakerLocated in Uccle, BEIconic Don S. Shoemaker Sling Swinger chair with footrest. Made from cocobolo (Mexican rosewood) and black leather in the 1960s. The biomorphic lines of the exotic rosewood create an...Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Cocobolo
- 1950s Don Shoemaker Scissor Sling Folding Armchair & Foot Stool MexicoBy Don S. ShoemakerLocated in Chula Vista, CA1950s Don Shoemaker Scissor Sling Folding Armchair & Foot Stool Handcrafted in Mexico. Vintage folding chair cocobolo rosewood frame black leather seat and coordinating foot stool o...Category
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Cocobolo
- Don Shoemaker Rosewood and Leather ‘Sloucher’ Chairs, Mexico 1950sBy Senal, Don S. ShoemakerLocated in Rotterdam, NLPair of lounge chairs model 'Sloucher' by Don Shoemaker for Señal, Mexico 1960s. Outstanding organically shaped bone structure with a nice leather sling seat. Interesting shapes and ...Category
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Cocobolo
