Monterey Furniture
Encyclopedia
Monterey Furniture refers to several furniture lines made from 1930 to the mid-1940s in California. Uniquely western, the line derived its character from Spanish and Dutch Colonial
styles, California Mission architecture and furnishings, ranch furnishings, and cowboy accoutrements such as might be found in a barn (lariats and branding irons). Mason Manufacturing Company, founded by Frank Mason and his son, George, are credited with the original style of its time. Other lines were made by Imperial Company, Angeles Furniture Company (the line called Coronado), Del Rey, Brown and Saltman, but even Sears (La Fiesta) and Stickley
created Monterey-style furniture.
Mason Monterey was generally made from Oregon alder
, and the "classic period", from 1930–1932 was painted with a lively Mexican palette toned down with an asphaltum
glaze that created the look of antique furniture. Many layers of paint went into the final finish in the Mason line. The colors used were bold: Spanish Red, Spanish Green, Spanish Blue, Straw Yellow. Neutrals had an old antiqued charm in Straw Ivory and Old Wood. In the beginning most pieces had some sort of decorative elements, such as the "river of life," a lively squiggle, or a floral decoration. The Mexican cartoonist Juan Intenoche headed the paint department, and the most valuable pieces of Monterey contain his whimsical designs. Donkeys, caballeros, sleeping men under wide hats, cactus and other images are his trademark. Mason branded most of their furniture with a horseshoe and the name, "Monterey," though not all are branded. Smoke from the branding occasionally was too thick for the workers; on those days they simply stopped branding. The company produced furniture for 14 years, and went through the following periods: classic, transitional, and middle. Toward the end of its manufacturing career, the company began making rather mundane furniture that did not look like Monterey style, but was a revival of American Colonial.
Hollywood and Barker Brothers were influential in the creation of Mason's furniture line, in that Barker Brothers approached Frank Mason with the idea of creating a line of furniture based on furniture seen in a popular early "talkie
," In Old Arizona
by Fox Film Corporation, 1929. Spanish Revival homes were being built all over Los Angeles, and Barker Brothers wanted a line of furniture that could complement the style of the homes. The largest public collection was bought for the Chateau
in 1933 at the Oregon Caves National Monument
; most of the collection is from the early classic period. In 2010, the first two dozen pieces of Mason Monterey were conserved and restored.
Imperial Monterey was made from mahogany
. It was a heavier line, well built and well designed, with quality iron work to reinforce the structure. The color palette occasionally contained decorative floral designs, but Imperial was known for the simpler brown finish akin to the Old Wood finish of the Mason line. The largest original public collection of Imperial Monterey was recently conserved, and is in use at Crater Lake National Park
's superintendent's home, now the Science and Learning Center.
The Coronado line was generally a lighter blonde shade of antiqued oil paint, and the design contained more angles and had wrapped rope decor. Intenoche apparently moonlighted at the Angeles Factory, as his designs are also found on Coronado furniture. The company branded its line with a crown featuring the word Coronado.
Dutch Colonial
Dutch Colonial is a style of domestic architecture, primarily characterized by gambrel roofs having curved eaves along the length of the house...
styles, California Mission architecture and furnishings, ranch furnishings, and cowboy accoutrements such as might be found in a barn (lariats and branding irons). Mason Manufacturing Company, founded by Frank Mason and his son, George, are credited with the original style of its time. Other lines were made by Imperial Company, Angeles Furniture Company (the line called Coronado), Del Rey, Brown and Saltman, but even Sears (La Fiesta) and Stickley
Gustav Stickley
Gustav Stickley was a manufacturer of furniture and the leading proselytizer for the American Arts and Crafts movement, an extension of the British Arts and Crafts movement.-Biography:...
created Monterey-style furniture.
Mason Monterey was generally made from Oregon alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, and the "classic period", from 1930–1932 was painted with a lively Mexican palette toned down with an asphaltum
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
glaze that created the look of antique furniture. Many layers of paint went into the final finish in the Mason line. The colors used were bold: Spanish Red, Spanish Green, Spanish Blue, Straw Yellow. Neutrals had an old antiqued charm in Straw Ivory and Old Wood. In the beginning most pieces had some sort of decorative elements, such as the "river of life," a lively squiggle, or a floral decoration. The Mexican cartoonist Juan Intenoche headed the paint department, and the most valuable pieces of Monterey contain his whimsical designs. Donkeys, caballeros, sleeping men under wide hats, cactus and other images are his trademark. Mason branded most of their furniture with a horseshoe and the name, "Monterey," though not all are branded. Smoke from the branding occasionally was too thick for the workers; on those days they simply stopped branding. The company produced furniture for 14 years, and went through the following periods: classic, transitional, and middle. Toward the end of its manufacturing career, the company began making rather mundane furniture that did not look like Monterey style, but was a revival of American Colonial.
Hollywood and Barker Brothers were influential in the creation of Mason's furniture line, in that Barker Brothers approached Frank Mason with the idea of creating a line of furniture based on furniture seen in a popular early "talkie
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
," In Old Arizona
In Old Arizona
In Old Arizona is a 1929 American Western film directed by Irving Cummings and Raoul Walsh, nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film, which was based on the character of the Cisco Kid in the story The Caballero's Way by O...
by Fox Film Corporation, 1929. Spanish Revival homes were being built all over Los Angeles, and Barker Brothers wanted a line of furniture that could complement the style of the homes. The largest public collection was bought for the Chateau
Oregon Caves Chateau
The Oregon Caves Chateau is a historic American hotel that opened in 1934. It is located in Oregon Caves National Monument in southern Oregon, near Cave Junction. The Chateau was designed and built by Gust Lium, a local contractor...
in 1933 at the Oregon Caves National Monument
Oregon Caves National Monument
Oregon Caves National Monument is a national monument in the northern Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon in the United States. The main part of the park, including the marble cave and a visitor center, is located east of Cave Junction, on Oregon Route 46. A separate visitor center in Cave...
; most of the collection is from the early classic period. In 2010, the first two dozen pieces of Mason Monterey were conserved and restored.
Imperial Monterey was made from mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
. It was a heavier line, well built and well designed, with quality iron work to reinforce the structure. The color palette occasionally contained decorative floral designs, but Imperial was known for the simpler brown finish akin to the Old Wood finish of the Mason line. The largest original public collection of Imperial Monterey was recently conserved, and is in use at Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in southern Oregon. Established in 1902, Crater Lake National Park is the sixth oldest national park in the United States and the only one in the state of Oregon...
's superintendent's home, now the Science and Learning Center.
The Coronado line was generally a lighter blonde shade of antiqued oil paint, and the design contained more angles and had wrapped rope decor. Intenoche apparently moonlighted at the Angeles Factory, as his designs are also found on Coronado furniture. The company branded its line with a crown featuring the word Coronado.