1930s Monterey Straw Ivory Mirror

Description

Pretty darn perfect, as so much Monterey usually is.

Measures 26" x 21" x 1".

Monterey was generally made from … more Pretty darn perfect, as so much Monterey usually is.

Measures 26" x 21" x 1".

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. A Mexican cartoonist signing himself Juan Intenoche is thought to have headed the paint department, and the most valuable pieces of Monterey contain whimsical designs attributed to him, the donkeys, caballeros, sleeping men under wide hats, cactus and other images which are the brand's trademark.

Mason Manufacturing, who produced this for Barker Brothers to their designs and specifications, branded most of the 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. less