Don Shoemaker for Senal Salt and Pepper Shakers
About the Item
- Creator:Senal (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 2 in (5.08 cm)Width: 4 in (10.16 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 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 vintage condition; professionally cleaned and oiled.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: AC18221stDibs: LU1645220628682
Senal
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.
You May Also Like
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculptures
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern More Dining and Entertaining
Teak
1990s American Mid-Century Modern More Dining and Entertaining
Glass, Plastic
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern More Dining and Entertaining
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s Danish More Dining and Entertaining
Metal
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Tableware
Wood
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern More Dining and Entertaining
Brass
Vintage 1960s Danish More Dining and Entertaining
Metal
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Ceramics
Ceramic, Paint
Late 20th Century Post-Modern More Dining and Entertaining
Porcelain
More From This Seller
View AllMid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
Hardwood, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
Hardwood, Rosewood, Cocobolo
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Platters and Serveware
Rosewood, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Cocobolo
