All the pages listed here are about the Monterey genre of furniture items, and possibly pottery that goes with the style of that period. While our primary business is conserving and proper restoration of the objects, we are offered to a good amount of excellent pieces of Imperial, Coronado, Del Rey, Brown & Saltman, and of course, Mason Monterey. Our focus is on the period we love best, which is circa 1930-1940.
We are currently undertaking the sales of all of the above. Currently we have:
- Richardson Estate
- Mason Monterey from Frank Crowe Estate (coming soon)
- Miscellaneous pieces
Our policy: Restorative work is fully disclosed. If we detect the items were previously restored it says this clearly, and if they were conserved, restored or repaired by MPF Conservation we state this clearly.
MASON MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Frank Mason founded the Mason Manufacturing Company of Los Angeles in 1919, primarily as a lamp manufacturing company. “Monterey” furniture was born in the 1920’s, growing out of the Hollywood design studios. The style is derived from Spanish and Dutch Colonial, Pennsylvania Dutch, California Mission architecture and furnishings, cowboy accoutrements such as might even be found in a barn (lariats and branding irons), and simple ranch furnishings.
Eventually the line was marketed by the Barker Brothers, Meier & Frank, Bullocks, etc. Other pages of discussion and information regarding western furniture:
DOZENS OF MASON MONTEREY PIECES
FROM THE FRANK CROWE ESTATE
All come with a letter of provenance signed by his granddaughter.
Who is Frank Crowe?
Born in Trenholmville, Quebec, Frank Crowe was one of the most influential people in building dams.
In 1924, Frank Crowe joined the construction firm of Morrison Knudsen in Idaho. Morrison-Knudsen had recently signed a partnership with the larger Utah Construction Company to build dams.
Crowe pioneered two practices that are crucial to the construction of large dams. The first was a pneumatic delivery system to transport concrete and the second was a system of overhead cables to allow the pneumatic concrete to be pumped at any point on the construction site. With this technique, Crowe built some of the largest dams in the American west, including Hoover Dam, Parker Dam 155 miles (249 km) downstream from Hoover; Copper Basin and Gene Wash Dams on the Colorado Aqueduct system; and Shasta Dam in Northern California.
He retired in 1944 to his 20,000-acre (81 km2) cattle ranch near Redding, California, where he died of a heart attack on February 26, 1946. The furniture was part of this estate, some of which was lost in a fire. It has lived with the family intact.
RICHARDSON ESTATE
Local owner who kept items in impeccable condition.
Mason Monterey Smokey Maple Floral Bedroom Set:
Twin Bed, Desk, High-boy Dresser, Mirror ca 1932
$ priced separately
Mason Monterey highly decorated Smokey Maple Bedroom set in one of the most highly desirable painted floral pattern, circa 1932. The original set had one owner. The set is in good condition, with little damage as described below. (We are quite picky.) All are in excellent condition structurally. The original finish is lovely, as it should be, distressed but good. MPF Conservation performed slight touchup on knobs, center of the bed back where the owner laid against it. Monterey name brand and horseshoe are on back.
Click to view more images.
SIX PIECE JUAN TINOCO STYLE BEDROOM SET BY MASON MONTEREY SOLD
The original set had one owner, we being the second. The matching pieces are in good condition, with damage as described with images on the detail page. It consists of:
- two twin beds (Mexican carrying water motif),
- a center bedside table (twin cactus motif),
- a lowboy chest of drawers (cactus motif),
- a highboy chest of drawers (Mexican carrying water motif), and
- a mirror (Sleeping Mexican motif).
All of the pieces are marked but the bedside table with the burned horse shoe and name. All appear to be from the same time frame as they are all marked with the same items numbers, “780.”
Contact us if you have further questions.
I am a 71 year old born in Southern California and I was raised as a young boy seeing a lot of Mission and Monterey Furniture … I have never seen this “Southwestern” motif before and these pieces are a remarkable example of Monterey. Thanks for the trip in time to my childhood!
Hi Steve,
We have a bit of info here on the blog (see the top right) on Juan Duran Tinoco, the Mexican artist responsible for so many of the amazing themed motifs on both Mason and Coronado furniture. He died in 1988, before anyone could figure out who he was based on his signature. If you google him, there are wonderful examples of his paintings on the web. Thanks for the comment!
I have a complete Imperial bedroom set that is in pretty good condition (desk top needs tlc and chair seat is missing). I just have a couple of questions. Is the imperial style more desirable and perhaps more valuable than later styles? I live in Virginia, not exactly the heart of cowboy/spanish influenced country. How difficult will it be to sell? Auction perhaps? I am afraid of trying to clean it up, after reading of your courageous feats done on the NPS furniture. Do you recommend anything I can do to spruce it up? It has been in the family since day one and other than lemon oil, I don’t think it has been touched. Any time you can give me is greatly appreciated. I’m working on getting some snaps of it.
Thanks,
Mitzi Raabe
Hi Mitzi,
Imperial is not Mason Monterey, just to be clear, because some people think it is a style of Mason’s.
Frankly, it is sturdier furniture, and one of my favorites. Their detail’s are wonderful. It was produced at the same time as Mason’s styles by the Imperial company, which made many other styles of furniture. Excellent that the original finish in intact!
First, stop using lemon oil. I am assuming that this furniture is a painted finish that looks like old wood? A damp rag that does not have loops (we do not recommend a washrag, but diaper cloth is good) would be the best thing to clean it. Most oils eventually undermine the painted finish and dull the slightly dusty look that is what you want. In fact, cleaning agents of most kinds hurt many finishes and it is unfortunate because hardware store people do not ask all the right questions about your furniture — they point you to the aisle!
BTW, the Imperial collection at Crater Lake is not finished — we still need to go back up and put the final dust coat on it, but the anniversary was coming and people had to sit on it and our work was emergency! It should look like the lamp we have in the store.
Regarding value and possible ways to sell the pieces, send me an email with some good pictures embedded. dkatiepowell (@) aol.com
Best, Kate
I just bought a 40″ vanity at a Seattle reclamation store, Second Use. The back of the vanity is stamped with an upside down horseshoe and the name, “Monterey”, this is burned into the back. Next to it is an ink stamp which reads, “Meier and Frank” and what I believe is the finish paint color of the vanity, “Carmel and Blue”. It is a 7 drawer vanity with bamboo embellishments and moderately ornate woodworking on the drawer sides. I think it’s beautiful, I paid only $40.00 and it is in excellent condition. Any ideas about it?
I helped Johnny find out that his vanity has been messed with!
Johnny Ward, Meier and Frank was [is?] the name of a large department store chain. May have been the seller of the piece of furniture. You are lucky to find the piece. I have several Mason Monterey “style” pieces of furniture, but they are not signed as such.
Hi Martha,
Oddly, our studio is within throwing distance of the headquarters of the old Montgomery Ward building. Yes, I think they were.
Is your furniture perhaps Del Rey or Coronado? Or simply unsigned. They did not always sign the furniture.
Best, Kate
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I have to sell a Monterey twin bedroom set, 7 pieces, due to moving to a smaller place. Purchased it circa 1970; I’m second owner. It appears to be what you call desert dust color, signed/branded, original condition, well-used over the decades.No painted decoration. Live in Phoenix area. Any collectors in this area?
Hi Margaret — I assume that is Phoenix AZ? I don’t know any collectors, so perhaps you can contact an antiques dealer? If you are in Phoenix OR then write me at dbdcat @ aol.com (no spaces) and we can talk.
Our father worked at the U of A here in Tucson and was able to bring home pieces of this montery and motif painted furniture when they upgraded (no pun intended) to newer decor.
How cool! Do you have any left?